For the Cumberland Times-News
GARDEN CITY, N.Y. — Potomac State stayed alive in the NJCAA Division I Eastern District baseball tournament by beating Monroe (N.Y.) 14-5 after losing earlier in the day to Spartanburg (S.C.), 8-3, at Adelphi University.
In the opener, Marty Gantt and Ross Hanna homered for Spartanburg, which pulled away from the Catamounts with a four-run eighth inning. Gannt hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning and added a single later in the game. Hanna gave the Pioneers the first run of the day with a solo shot in the fourth.
Potomac State got to within a run with a three-run seventh but that was negated by the four-run spurt from Spartanburg in its next at-bat. Gary Williams had two of Potomac State’s RBIs with a pair of singles, and Kurtis Voytell also had two base hits. Cody Dalton had a team-high three singles.
Eric Hinkle pitched into the eighth before running out of gas and getting tagged with the loss.
In the second game, Kevin Griffin homered twice for Potomac State in its win over Monroe. His second was a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth that forced the mercy rule. He also had a solo home run, in the second inning, two singles and seven RBIs.
Jason Lombard added three RBIs with a single and a sacrifice fly, and Dominic Hayes finished with two doubles and a single. Williams also had three hits, all singles.
Monroe struck first with two runs in the first, and made it 3-0 with another in the second. PSC got a run back in the second, then took over with six more in the third.
Jose Rosario led Monroe with a triple and single.
Paul Chenowith got his second straight quality start, pitching into the eighth.
Today, USC-Sumter, which beat Monroe in Saturday’s tournament opener, plays Spartanburg Methodist at noon.
The Catamounts (36-13) will play the loser the Sumter/Spartanburg game today at 3 p.m. If Potomac State wins, a second game would follow to determine the champion of the double-elimination tournament.
