Rowan Comes Back To Defeat Hopkins, 4-2, In NCAA Baseball Regional

Matt Enuco hit a two-run triple in the ninth to break a 2-2 tie.

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<b>Jason Thayer</b> allowed one earned run on three hits in eight innings Sunday vs. Rowan.

Jason Thayer allowed one earned run on three hits in eight innings Sunday vs. Rowan.

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May 23, 2004

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Boyertown, PA - Rowan shortstop Matt Enuco hit a two-run triple with two outs in the top of the ninth to break a 2-2 tie as the Profs defeated Johns Hopkins, 4-2, Sunday afternoon in the NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic Baseball Regional at Bear Stadium.

Rowan, which improved to 40-6, advances to the Division III College World Series starting Friday in Fox Cities, WI. The Blue Jays were eliminated, ending their season at 40-4.

Hopkins senior righthander Matt Righter (Clarion, PA/Lawrenceville Prep) entered the game in the top of the ninth and retired the first two batters before Mike Rucci singled and Jesse Pappler walked. Enuco then worked the count to 2-2 before lacing a pitch to the wall in left centerfield.

Profs reliever Matt Sclafani, who had entered in the bottom of the eighth, got the first two Blue Jays in the ninth before JHU senior leftfielder Craig Cetta (Randolph, NJ/Randolph) worked a walk. However Sclafani struck out junior third baseman Mike Spiciarich (Syosset, NY/Chaminade) to end the game.

Sclafani picked up the win to improve to 5-2, while Righter fell to 7-1.

Hopkins took the lead in the bottom of the third when senior designated hitter Brian Morley (Tappan, NY/Don Bosco Prep) led off the frame by drilling a home run to left, his sixth homer of the year.

With one out in the bottom of the fifth, senior shortstop Carl Ippolito (Ewing, NJ/Pennington School) singled. Senior catcher Doug Hitchner (Haverford, PA/Episcopal Academy) then bounced into what looked to be a double play, but Enuco's throw to first was wide and Hitchner advanced to second.

Senior second baseman Tim Casale (West Hempstead, NY/Chaminade) followed with a double to right to score Hitchner and give the Blue Jays a 2-0 lead.

The Profs got a run back in the sixth as Brent Dempsey led off with a double, and after he moved to third on a groundout, Bryan Cicante doubled down the leftfield line to score Dempsey and make it a one-run game.

Rowan tied the game in the seventh when Rucci reached on a throwing error by Ippolito and advanced to second. Rucci then moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by Pappler.

Hopkins starter Jason Thayer (Finksburg, MD/Westminster), who allowed just one earned run on three hits in eight innings, struck out the final two batters in the seventh and retired the side in order in the eighth.

Senior righthander Jeremy Brown (Baltimore, MD/McDonogh), Ippolito, Spiciarich, Cetta and senior rightfielder Rob Morrison (Malibu, CA/Loyola) represented Hopkins on the regional all-tournament team.

Hopkins set school records for wins in a season and winning percentage this year, while its 33-0 start is believed to be the best start in Division III history.

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