Providence College Athletics
Baseball Stays Alive at Big East Tournament
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 14, 1998
NORWICH, Conn. - The Providence College Friars had their backs to the wall and time was running out Thursday afternoon in Norwich, Connecticut. It all came down to freshman first baseman Mike O'Keefe. PC trailed by one at 21-. The bases were loaded, there were two outs and it was up to PC's number four hitter. Just the way a clutch hitter wants things laid out.
With a two-ball, one-strike count, O'Keefe drilled Brian Stegen's next pitch just past first baseman Pete Zoccolillo. Jason Hairston scored from third and Bryan Tamul beat right fielder David DeJesus' throw home and the Friars had a dramatic 3-2 victory.
The win improved the Friars to 30-21-1 on the season and sends them on to Friday where they will face West Virginia in an elimination game at 3:30 p.m. The Mountaineers defeated Seton Hall in this afternoon's first game by a 7-2 score. Rutgers (29-14) also goes into an elimination game on Thursday at 12 noon when the Scarlet Knights face the loser of tonight's St. John's/Notre Dame game.
The Friars, who didn't score until the ninth inning in Wednesday's 7-2 loss to St. John's, didn't wait long as they took a 1-0 lead in the first. With Scott Friedholm on via a single, O'Keefe doubled down the right field line scoring Friedholm. That gives O'Keefe all five of the Friars' rbi's in the BIG EAST Tournament.
From there, starting pitcher Rob Corraro took over. The junior righthander retired the first 11 hitters he faced until Dave Marciniak singled with two outs in the fourth.
The Scarlet Knights tied the game in the fifth inning. Jake Daubert walked to start the inning. He was sacrificed to second and advanced to third on a deep fly ball to center by Mike O'Brien. Shortstop Dave Fenster followed with a single up the middle to tie the game at 1-1.
Stegen settled down for Rutgers giving up hits, but constantly left PC runners on base. The Friars stranded 11 base runners in the game. The Scarlet Knights looked to break the game open in the seventh inning.
Corraro struck out Daubert to open the inning, but walked catcher Joe Waleck. O'Brien followed with a double to left center that sent Waleck to third. After Fenster was walked, senior righthander Mike Galligan was brought in to face Shawn Williams. Williams hit a short fly ball down the left field line in foul territory. The Friars' left fielder, sophomore Jason Hairston caught the ball on the run near the PC bullpen. Waleck tagged up and Hairston threw an off balance strike to the plate. The throw got there ahead of the runner and Waleck collided with catcher Scott Friedholm who held the ball for a double play. Following the play, home plate umpire John Chernovitz ejected Waleck for colliding with Friedholm.
Rutgers broke through in the eighth against Galligan. After getting the lead off man out, Galligan hit David DeJesus with a pitch. DeJesus stole second base and when Marciniak hit a chopper to third, DeJesus moved up. Zoccolillo delivered with a single up the middle and the Knights had a 2-1 lead.
That set up O'Keefe's ninth inning heroics. Pat Carey singled to left center for his fourth hit of the game. Hairston laid down a bunt that was fielded by Stegen who's throw was late to second and PC had first and second with no outs. Tamul hit into a force play as his sacrifice attempt saw Carey get forced at third. Angelo Ciminiello struck out looking for the second out. Friedholm grounded one up the middle that Stegen tried to field with his bare hand. The ball bounced to short and everyone was safe. From there, O'Keefe delivered his game winning hit and the Friars will play again on Thursday.
Wagner doubled down the right field line scoring Brock and Felker. BIG EAST Player of the Year Brant Ust follwoed with a home run to right to tie the game at 4-4.
Jeremy Cummings came in to take over for starter Lewis Ross and walked Ben Cooke to lead off the ninth. Catcher Mike Knecht sacrificed him to second. Outfielder Allen Greene ended the game with a single down the left field line scoring Cooke for the winning run.
FRIAR NOTES...PC's All-BIG EAST catcher SCOTT FRIEDHOLM had his 17-game hitting streak snapped in the Friars' loss to St. John's. He also saw his average dip under .400 for the first time this season. He is now hitting .396....Junior Rob Corraro (5-4, 5.94 ERA) will start the Friars' second game against Rutgers...The Rutgers-Seton Hall game lasted 5:29 and is the longest game in BIG EAST Tournament history.
