Rockenbach and Ahmed Named CACC Pitcher and Rookie of the Week, Dietz Dons Honor Roll
New Haven, Conn. - (5/10/2021) – Chestnut Hill College provided three players on this week’s Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Baseball Report as sophomore Dan Rockenbach (Holland, Pa.), freshman outfielder Zach Ahmed (Las Vegas, Nev.), and junior first baseman/pitcher Andrew Dietz (Warrington, Pa.) respectively garnered the league’s Pitcher, Rookie, and Honor Roll designations. The Griffins enjoyed a 3-1 week that included a 13-5, game-one, CACC win over Wilmington University on May 3, a 14-12 non-conference victory over Millersville University on May 4, and a 11-10, 10-inning elimination of #5S University of the Sciences (USciences) on May 8.
Rockenbach was locked in out of the Griffin bullpen as the he earned a three-inning save in a 13-5 game-one win over Wilmington University (3.0 IP, 4H, 2ER, 2R, 2K), a two-inning save in a 14-12 victory over Millersville University (2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 1 K), and struck out all four batters he faced while earning the win (1.1 IP, 4 K) in Chestnut Hill College’s extra-inning, CACC Opening Round elimination of the #5S USciences; 11-10 (10 inn.). Ahmed batted .438 (7-for-16) this week, but the bulk of his work came in the Griffins' game-one victory over the Wildcats. He doubled in two runs in the second inning, tripled in two more in the fifth and sixth innings, before a third triple brought home his seventh run-batted-in (RBI) of the game. Dietz batted .536 (10-for-19) with a double, four RBI, and a pair of stolen bases. He recorded an RBI in each of the Griffins' four contests.
Chestnut Hill College (18-13) opened the week with a CACC doubleheader split at Wilmington University. The Griffins won the opener 13-5 thanks to Ahmed’s amazing performance (4-for-5, 2B, 3 3B, 3 R, 7 RBI) and the combined mound work of junior Billy Bethel (Yardley, Pa.) (W, 6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K) and Rockenbach (SV, 3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 K), but the Wildcats evened the evening with a 4-2 game-two victory. Dietz knocked in a fourth-inning run while reaching on throwing error by the Wildcats’ third baseman, while Ahmed continued his impressive day with a 2-for-3 effort that included singles in the fifth and seventh innings.
Millersville University (22-11) visited Chestnut Hill College for a marathon battle on Tuesday (May 4) evening. The Griffins and the Marauders traded blows in a three hour, 41-minute game that ended in the Scarlet and Gold's favor, 14-12. The Griffins split their runs between the third (3-2), fourth (7-6), fifth (10-7), and seventh (14-10) innings with Dietz going 4-for-5 with three runs and a run-batted-in (RBI) and sophomore first baseman Corbin Dunnuck (Mohnton, Pa.) knocking in five runs with a three-run home run in the fourth inning and a two-run single in the fifth (2-for-3, HR, 3 R, 5 RBI). Rockenbach was able to record the final six outs before the Marauders could make the game last any longer; he earned his fourth save of the season, but allowed two unearned runs on one hit and three walks.
Braving a wet and chilly spring evening, the Hostelley Field faithful were treated to a thriller. #4S Chestnut Hill College recovered from a top-of-the-ninth #5S USciences (9-15) grand slam with three – unearned - two-out runs, before walking off the 2021 CACC Baseball Championship Tournament Opening Round contest with a 10th-inning sacrifice fly from freshman shortstop Nick Delacruz (South Brunswick, N.J.); 11-10. Dietz was 3-for-6 with a RBI, Ahmed was 1-for-5 with an RBI single in the Griffins’ ninth-inning rally, and Rockenbach earned the win (5-0) with 1.1 innings of scoreless relief. He struck out all four batters that he faced.
Chestnut Hill College advances to the CACC Baseball Quarterfinals as they will travel to #1S Goldey-Beacom on Monday, May 10, for a 2:00 p.m. contest.
