The Bearcats held off a late rally by CCNY on Monday afternoon, 8-7, to clinch third place in the conference tournament this weekend at the College of Staten Island.
The Bearcats finish the regular season 14-17 overall and 10-8 in CUNYAC.
The overall wins (14), conference wins (10), and games played (31) are the most since the 2000 season.
The Beavers of CCNY jumped out to an early 3-1 lead in a game play at the American Legion Complex in Brooklyn.
However, the Bearcats rallied with four runs in the fifth and three in the seventh to go up, 8-3.
Freshman Joseph Valentin (Co-Op City, N.Y./DeWitt Clinton) highlighted the three-run seventh inning with a bases-clearing double. Valentin has been on fire of late, driving in 12 runs in his last three games.
The Beavers rallied to get as close as 8-7, with two outs in the final inning, but a diving catch in center field by senior Arby Gega (Jamaica, N.Y./Hillcrest) saved the victory.
Senior Alberto Nieves (Brooklyn, N.Y./Murry Bergtraum) recorded another strong performance on the mound and plate. He batted 3-for-5 with a double, while pitching a complete game with seven strikeouts and two walks. The victory was the fourth of the year for Nieves.
Senior Ray Mowatt (Bronx, N.Y./LaGuardia), Cesar Chaves (Brooklyn, N.Y./James Madison), and Valentin each finished with two hits apiece.
Baruch will be in action this weekend with a semifinal CUNYAC Tournament game against the College of Staten Island. First pitch at CSI is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
Photo: Twig
