By Paul Gotham
ROCHESTER, NY – Zach Albin (Bethel, CT) is known as the ace of the UConn Avery Point staff. Saturday evening he proved to be every bit the part.
Albin hurled a five-shutout as the UConn Avery Point Pointers (37-8) defeated the Monroe Community College Tribunes (33-14), 5-0 in the NJCAA East District Tournament on Tribunes Field.
The right-hander fanned a dozen and didn’t allow a runner past second base until the ninth inning.
“I take my hat off to him,” said Monroe coach Mike Kelly. “He was extremely effective. We haven’t seen a guy like that since (team trip in March) Arizona.”
Avery Point, ranked third in the nation, put four on the board in the first and never looked back. The first five Pointers reached base to start the game. Matt Martinez (New Britain, CT) brought home the first run of the game with a base hit through the left side of the infield. Matt Greene (New London, CT) followed suit with a base hit in the hole between third and short. Christian Mayhew (Brooklyn, CT) brought home Martinez, and Greene scored on a ground ball by Nick DeLotto (Southbury, CT).
Other than a wind-aided double, the Pointers thrived on singles to mount their advantage.
“They poked the ball around in the first and got ahead,” Kelly continued. “With a four-run lead and him on the mound pitching the way he was today, it’s almost impossible.”
Martinez added a run in the third with a solo shot to left center.
The Tribunes got a runner on in each of the first three innings and five of the first six but could not capitalize.
It wasn’t until the ninth that Monroe put two on the bases. Vinny Bomasuto (Dunkirk, NY/ Dunkirk) led with a base on balls, and Spencer Scorza (Penfield, NY/ Penfield) drilled a single up the middle to put runners on the corners. Albin struck out his 12th and induced a double play to end the game.
Kyle McKay (Webster, NY/ Webster Thomas) and Steve Trubia (Chili, NY/ Aquinas Institute) combined to toss four shutout innings out of the bullpen.
McKay came on with a runner on first in the fifth and got a ground ball for a double from the first batter he faced.
Trubia took the ball with runners on second and third and one out in the seventh. The southpaw fanned the first batter he faced and retired the side on a weak fly ball to right. Trubia struck out three.
Earlier in the day both teams defeated Rockland Community College. Dylan Sheffer (Penfield, NY/Penfield) picked up the win as MCC defeated RCC, 4-2. The Pointers won 10-8 and eliminated the Hawks from contention.
The same two teams will meet Sunday with UConn Avery Point needing one win to advance to the NJCAA World Series in Enid, Oklahoma.
“The important thing today was to win a game and you guarantee yourself a chance to play in a championship game,” Kelly stated. “Although the first game tomorrow isn’t technically a championship game for us, we’ve given ourselves the opportunity to play for one. We’ll be ready to play tomorrow. That’s all I can ask for. We still have a bunch of pitching.”
An 11 a.m. first pitch is scheduled for Sunday.
Leave a Reply