Phillips Becomes Stolen Bases King, Smacks Two HRs in Stevens Split with Utica
HOBOKEN, N.J. (April 21, 2012) – Senior infielder Tom Phillips (Spring Lake, N.J.) became Steven Institute of Technology’s all-time stolen bases leader for baseball in an Empire 8 Conference split with Utica College at Dobbelaar Field on Saturday evening, April 21. Phillips now has 75 career stolen bases to his credit, surpassing the record set by Dave Riley ’02 of 74. Stevens fell in Game One, 5-3, but bounced back to rout the Pioneers, 17-6, in the night cap.
In the opener that took only one-hour and 49 minutes to complete, Phillips led off the bottom of the first with a solo homerun to cut into Utica’s 2-0 lead that the Pioneers jumped out to in the top half of the inning.
After the Ducks plated another run in the third off an RBI double from freshman outfielder Brian Hennelly (Holbrook, N.Y.) that scored sophomore outfielder Dan Allen (Egg Harbor Township, N.J.), Utica put a three spot on the board in the top of the fifth inning. Hennelly also stole a base in a 2-for-3 Game One.
In the bottom half of the fifth, Phillips reached on a single to start the inning then took off for second base to set the school record of 75 swipes and his 28th this season. He can now chase after the single-season record of 36 steals to own both records. Phillips batted 2-for-4 with two runs scored in the opener.
Allen suffered the loss on the bump in Game One, tossing five innings and allowing five runs (two earned). He also struck out three batters and walked three more while going 1-for-3 at the dish with an RBI and walk.
Senior Chris Tucci (Calverton, N.Y.) threw two perfect innings in relief for the Ducks and punched out one batter.
Defensively, junior infielder Michael Donovan (Mendham, N.J.) made two tremendous diving plays that kept Utica from starting a possible rally, and one of his diving stops led directly to an unassisted double play.
In the night cap, Phillips once again shined with a grand slam shot to right field in the bottom of the eighth to complete the 17-run scoring barrage the Ducks put on display. He also doubled in Game Two and drove in an impressive seven runs in a 2-for-6 performance.
Graduate student Matt Glassman (Basking Ridge, N.J.) drove in two runs, recorded two hits, walked twice, was hit by a pitch and scored a run in four trips to the plate. Allen, Hennelly and Donovan each posted two hits in Game Two, while Donovan walked three times and scored twice.
Senior outfielder Ryan Kiczek (Rutherford, N.J.) and sophomore catchers Curt Lowenstein (Egg Harbor Township, N.J.) and Matt O’Brien (Goffstown, N.H.) all brought in two runs. Kiczek went 2-for-4 with a run scored, Lowenstein was 1-for-3 and O’Brien batted 1-for-1 with a run scored and walk.
Freshman infielder Gregg Nickels (Simpsonville, S.C.) came off the bench and scored twice in two trips to the plate.
On the mound in Game Two, junior Tyler Courter (Glenwood, N.J.) earned his fifth victory of the season in six innings of work. Courter fanned nine batters and surrendered just two runs and two hits in the win. Seniors John Martelle (Colonia, N.J.) and Vincent Vinci (Howell, N.J.) each recorded a perfect inning of work out of the bullpen. Vinci struck out one batter. Graduated student Jeffrey Hart (Greenwood Lake, N.Y.) tossed the final inning for Stevens.
The Ducks are now 19-13 overall this season and 5-6 in the Empire 8.