BOX SCORE

CASTLETON, Vt. – April 28, 2012 - Fourth seeded Colby-Sawyer erased a one-run deficit in the bottom of the eighth inning and held on for the dramatic 4-1 upset win over second seed Thomas to advance to the finals of the North Eastern Athletic Conference East Division on Saturday afternoon at Spartan Field.

Colby-Sawyer will play Castleton on Sunday morning at 10 a.m. for the NEAC East Division Championship. Should the Spartans win, they will be forced to beat the Chargers a second time, with the game scheduled for 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game. Colby-Sawyer defeated Castleton 7-2 on Friday in the opening game of the 2012 tournament.

The Chargers plated three runs in the last of the eighth to take a 4-1 lead and starter Kevin Keith (Quincy, Mass.) and Greg Doucette (Ipswich, Mass.) shut the door in the top of the ninth to continue their run at the NEAC East Division crown. Colby-Sawyer improves to 20-20 with the victory while Thomas falls to 25-16 with the loss.

Keith was impressive in 8.2 innings of work, allowing just a single run while scattering 12 hits over that span. He also recorded eight strikeouts without a walk. Doucette came on for the final out of the game with runners on the corners and induced a flyout to end the game and earn his third save of the year.

The Terriers got on the board first, scoring their lone run in the bottom of the second. Thomas Cameron (Jackson, Maine) led off the frame with a single, and after a strikeout, John Charves (Harwich, Maine) and Jeff Perrault (Rochester, N.H.) each singled to load the bases. Jeff Richardson (Rochester, N.H.) followed with an RBI groundout, but Keith was able to get out of the inning without any more damage done.

Colby-Sawyer put forth its first serious threat of the game in the third inning. John Wylie (Middleboro, Mass.) hit a one-out single and Sean Gavin (Keene, N.H.) followed with a single of his own. Greg Mehuron (Waitsfield, Vt.) then drew a walk from Tim Locke (Waterville, Maine) to load the bases for Tyler Stotz (Amesbury, Mass.). Locke induced a groundball and the infield turned a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

In the fifth, Wylie led off with a walk and then stole second. He advanced to third on a grounder and scored on a wild pitch to tie the score 1-1.

With two outs in the top of the eighth, Thomas Cameron (Jackson, Maine) singled up the middle for the Terriers. Rob Nutter (Kennebunk, Maine) followed with a bounding grounder that hit a lip in front of the shortstop and bounced over his head for a single. Cameron scooted over to third on the play, but couldn't make it home as groundout to short ended the inning.

In the bottom of the frame, Mehuron led off with an infield single that nearly made it up the middle. He advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Stotz. Andy Lapple (Newtown, Conn.) came through for the Chargers with a lined shot that nicked the glove of the leaping third baseman before going landing fair in left. Mehuron scored on the play to make it a 2-1 game.

Jake Szulak (Middleboro, Mass) followed with a fielder's choice reaching first and then taking second as Lapple got caught in a pickle between third and home. Justin Martin (Lebanon, N.H.) came through with an RBI single and Rob Wallace (Tewksbury, Mass.) hit an infield single to put runners on the corners. A balk during the next at bat gave the Chargers the 4-1 lead.

Down to the team's last at bats, Thomas' Perrault led off with an infield single to the right side in the top of the ninth. He stole second, but each of the next two batters flied out and he was unable to advance. Ben Goodall (Norway, Maine) came through with a single to put runners on the corners. Keith's day was done, but Doucette came in and closed the door to secure the win.

--Release courtesy of Castleton Sports Info