Rowen’s Walk-Off Single Secures Season-Ending Sweep over CCSU

(Box Score)

5/20/07 -- Senior Robby Rowen (Rosendale, N.Y.) hit a one-out single with the bases loaded in the top of the 10th inning to give the Long Island University baseball team a 5-4 victory over Central Connecticut State in the Blackbirds’ season finale. The win also gave Long Island a sweep of the four-game series against the Blue Devils.

First baseman James Jones (Brooklyn, N.Y.) fisted a leadoff single to center field to lead off the 10th and moved to second on Dan Pirillo’s (Marlboro, N.Y.) sacrifice bunt. Catcher Danny Etkin (Brooklyn, N.Y.) worked a walk and, one out later, second baseman Trey Bell (Georgetown, Del.) did the same to set up Rowen’s extra-inning heroics. Rowen also picked up the win, improving to 4-1 on the season.

Rowen came in to pitch the ninth with the Blackbirds leading 4-3. Central Connecticut centerfielder Kyle Zarotney reached on an error by Jones to lead off the inning. Designated hitter Jay Schillaci followed with a single to score Zarotney and tie the game.

Central Connecticut State (23-24, 14-14 Northeast Conference) took an early lead off Long Island starter Rich Moran (Carmel, N.Y.). The senior righthander allowed three runs in the first inning on back-to-back home runs by rightfielder Jak Kidd and Zarotney. Moran pitched well enough to win, allowing just three runs on six hits over seven innings of work. He struck out six and did not allow a walk. Brett Chachko (0-2) took the loss for the Blue Devils.

The Blackbirds (16-35, 10-17) cut the deficit to 3-2 in the fifth. With two outs, Rowen was hit by a pitch for the second of three times during the game. He advanced to third when Marcus Wynn (Plainfield, N.J.) hit a ground-rule double to the gap in right-center. Designated hitter Orlando Cruz (White Plains, N.Y.) then singled to left to score Rowen. Shortstop Greg DeSantis (Bridgewater, N.J.) followed with a bloop single to left to score Wynn.

Long Island took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth when Rowen stroked a two-run double with two outs. He finished the day 3-for-3 with a three RBIs and a run scored.

The sweep was the first for the Blackbirds since the NEC moved away from a two-game series format in 2002. The last time Long Island won four games in a row was in 2004, when the Blackbirds swept doubleheaders at St. Francis (N.Y.) on April 21 and against Sacred Heart on April 24.