Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 PURCHASE, N.Y. – The FDU-Florham baseball team concluded their 2014 campaign with the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament on Saturday at Purchase College. The Devils (22-16) defeated the Purchase College Panthers 5-3 and advanced to the title game but then lost a rain-shortened tilt with St. John Fisher College 9-0 in five innings.

The championship game loss ends a stellar season for the Devils, who improved their win total by six games after finishing 16-23 a season ago.

Game One:
After a scoreless first inning, the Panthers (17-13) manufactured a two-out rally against FDU-Florham starting pitcher AJ Pichalski (Iselin, N.J./JFK). After a hit by pitch, which was followed by a wild pitch, Purchase center fielder Aryn Giddens singled up the middle for the game's first run. Giddens proceeded to steal second and advanced to third on a single by Panthers' second baseman Michael Sarni but Pichalski struck out the next batter and limited the damage to just one.

The Devils responded in the bottom of the second. With two on, senior second baseman John Bowe (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) singled to right field, which loaded the bases for junior center fielder Frankie Tassielli (Florham Park, N.J./Hanover Park). Tassielli delivered with the game's biggest hit, a bases-clearing triple over Giddens' head in center field that put FDU-Florham in front 3-1. Later in the frame, senior first baseman Frank LaGuarina (Somerset, N.J./Immaculata) plated Tassielli with a single up the middle and increased the Devils' lead to 4-1.

The Panthers picked up a run in the fifth and eighth innings, which cut the Devils lead to 4-3. FDU-Florham picked up an insurance run in the top of the eighth after Purchase's reliever balked with Bowe on third base, which set the table for an exciting final inning.

With FDU-Florham holding a 5-3 lead, Devils closer Bobby Bray (Fairfax, Va./Robinson) came on to seal the win. After retiring the first batter, a walk and a single put the tying runs on for Purchase. A fielder's choice allowed the runners to advance into scoring position with two outs. Bray walked the Panthers catcher, which loaded the bases, however, he induced a ground ball to third base to end the threat and the ball game.

In the win, Bray earned his seventh save of the season, which is a single-season record for the Devils. Tassielli paced the Devils offense with a 2-for-3 day, including three rbi, two walks and a run scored, while Bowe chipped in with two hits and two runs. Pichalski tossed six innings, allowed two runs, while striking out two to earn finish at 3-2 on the season.

Game Two:
From the first pitch, it was evident that the rain would be a major factor. In the top of the first, the Devils got two men on against Fisher starter Shawn Corrigan but were unable to score. With the Cardinals set to bat, the rain and lightning began, which caused a 55-minute rain delay.

After the delay, the Cardinals offense went to work with six runs on five hits in their half of the first inning to stake a 6-0 lead. Fisher tacked on three more runs in the second and held a 9-0 advantage through two frames.

Two and a half scoreless innings followed before the rain returned in the fifth inning, which caused the cancellation. Corrigan was named ECAC Metro/Upstate Tournament Most Outstanding Player with his five scoreless innings of work.

The Devils totaled four hits in the shortened game, while the Cardinals went a red-hot 11-for-20 in their four at bats. FDU-Florham senior right-hander Jeff Jacobs (Old Bridge, N.J./St. John Vianney) tossed 2.2 scoreless innings in relief in his final appearance with the Devils.