Box Score Bronxville, N.Y. – (5/7/2013) – Unable to avoid the drama, #6 Chestnut Hill College needed every last out to defeat #3 Concordia College (NY) 8-6 in this afternoon's Opening Round contest of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Championship Tournament. After allowing the Griffins to construct a 5-0 lead the Clippers crawled back into the affair before threatening to steal the victory in their final at-bat. Senior shortstop Joseph Crane (Churchville, Pa.) and junior left fielder Joseph Mullin (Warrington, Pa.) provided the pivotal pop in the Griffin lineup as they went a combined, 5-for-7 with three runs and five runs-batted-in (RBI).
 
The afternoon started out well for Chestnut Hill College (18-25), who developed a five-run advantage while sophomore pitcher Dominic Raia III (Philadelphia, Pa.) retired Clipper after Clipper through the first four innings. The first Griffin run came across in the top of the third inning, when Mullin's lead-off double became the initial tally with a sacrifice from senior catcher Timothy DiMonte (Downingtown, Pa.) and single to center field from sophomore right fielder Michael McLaughlin (Philadelphia, Pa.), 1-0. Unfortunately, the Griffins production was cut short with a pair of base-running miscues ending the frame without further damage. An inning later the Griffins would break the contest open, platting four fourth-inning runs with a one-out triple from junior third baseman Raymond Puskar (Green Lane, Pa.) and a pair of walks that loaded the bases for back-to-back doubles from Crane and Mullin, 5-0.
 
After getting their first run on the fifth frame, 5-1, the Clippers finally got to Raia in the sixth inning as they used a one-out walk and a hit batsman to generate two runs with a double down the left field line, 5-2, and a sacrifice fly to center field, 5-3. Fortunately, the Griffins were able to reestablish their comfortable lead in the bottom of the frame as they manufactured two runs with a lead-off walk to junior center fielder Desmond Lites (Philadelphia, Pa.), a stolen base, a Crane single, and Mullin's safety squeeze making it 7-3 before a call to the Clipper bullpen shut down the inning. The Griffins added another run in the seventh inning with back-to-back two-out hits from Puskar and sophomore second baseman Taylor Steen (New Egypt, N.J.), 8-3, and the insurance would come in handy for the home team's final at-bat.
 
In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Clippers got the at-bat rolling with back-to-back hits making it 8-4 before a botched fielder's choice and single to left field brought the home team within three runs, 8-5. The Griffins finally got two crucial outs with a pair of pitching changes, but a hit batsman and a single brought one run home, 8-6, and reloaded the bases. Fortunately, Crane eventually ended the Clipper rally as he soon delivered the game's final pitch for a 6-4 fielder's choice.
 
The baseball team advances to the double-elimination round of the CACC Championship Tournament, which begins on Thursday, May 9. The Griffins will challenge #2 Dominican College (NY) in the 3:00 p.m. contest which follows a 12:00 p.m. matchup between #1 Wilmington University and #5 Felician College.