UNCW Holds Off Northeastern, 5-4, To Capture 7th CAA Baseball Championship

UNCW Holds Off Northeastern, 5-4, To Capture 7th CAA Baseball Championship

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Rob Washburn

CHAMP CENTRAL | Box Score

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. (May 28, 2023) – Top-seeded UNCW built a five-run lead and held off a late Northeastern rally to post a 5-4 victory and capture its league-record 7th CAA Baseball Championship on Sunday evening at the Ballpark at Patriots Point.

It was the third CAA title in the past five tournaments for the Seahawks (34-21), who earned an automatic berth to the NCAA Baseball Championship. The Huskies (44-14) will await a potential at-large berth when the 64-team field is announced on Monday afternoon.

Third baseman Jac Croom went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer for UNCW, while tournament Most Valuable Player Dillon Lifrieri and freshman Tanner Thach added solo shots.



Outfielder Mike Sirota was 3-for-5 with a three-run homer to lead Northeastern offensively, while Alex Lane and Cam Maldonado each had a pair of hits.

Ethan Chenault (5-2) earned the win for UNCW after giving up just one run in a season-high 4.0 innings of relief. Seahawks’ starter Zane Taylor threw 3.2 shutout frames and Brett Banks picked up his eighth save.

UNCW wasted no time getting its offense going. With one out in the first, Lifrieri launched a solo shot to left-center for a 1-0 lead, and Thach followed with his team-best 15th homer of the year to right-center. A pair of singles and a hit batter loaded the bases, and Trevor Marsh’s groundout brought in Alec DeMartino for a 3-0 Seahawks’ advantage.

The Seahawks added to their lead in the sixth. DeMartino doubled to open the frame and Croom delivered a two-run homer to right-center to make it 5-0.

Northeastern began its rally in the eighth when Sirota led off with a single and scored on a bases loaded walk to Harrison Feinberg.

The momentum continued into the ninth. Gregory Bozzo walked and Spenser Smith singled to start the inning. Sirota followed with a three-run blast to right that pulled the Huskies within one. Alex Lane drew a two-out walk and stole second to move into scoring position, but Banks was able to induce a groundout to end the game.

UNCW’s seventh CAA championship tied East Carolina for the most conference titles.

CAA ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Brett Banks, UNCW
Jac Croom, UNCW
Danny Crossen, Northeastern
Jake Gigliotti, Northeastern
Parker Haskin, Elon
Cam Maldonado, Northeastern
Trey Pooser, Charleston
Jacob Shafer, UNCW
Spenser Smith, Northeastern
Zane Taylor, UNCW
 
Most Valuable Player: Dillon Lifrieri, UNCW