Maliniak’s Walk-off Grand Slam Lifts W&M Past NYIT, 9-6

04/11/08 11:00PM

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - Senior Greg Maliniak hit a walk-off grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Tribe past New York Tech, 9-6, at Plumeri Park on Friday evening. With the victory, W&M (22-11) has won six of its last seven games and improves to 17-3 at Plumeri Park this season. Additionally, the College is 12-4 in non-conference action.

With the Green and Gold trailing by a run entering the bottom of the ninth, Tech (8-12-1) reliever Bobby Tesseyman began the frame on the hill. Pinch hitter Paul Juliano drew a leadoff walk, and junior Tyler Stampone followed with a bunt single down the first base line. After RHP Louie Bernardi entered the game in relief, junior Ben Guez moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Junior Mike Sheridan drew an intentional walk to load the bases, but senior Tim Park fouled out to first for the second out. Maliniak then cleared the bases when he drove a 0-1 offering over the left field fence.

Maliniak finished the contest 2-for-5 with four RBI and two runs scored. The grand slam was Maliniak’s second in as many games, as he recorded one in the 16-1 triumph against George Washington on Wednesday.

Stampone also had an impressive performance and went 2-for-5 with a RBI and two runs scored, while Guez extended his hitting streak to 23 games with a 2-for-3 effort. Park and junior James Williamson also registered multi-hit performances.

Sophomore LHP Tyler Truxell (4-1) was excellent in relief and earned the win. The Staunton, Va., native worked 3.2 scoreless innings with just one hit allowed and no walks. He also fanned six NYIT batters.

The Bears took an early 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Denten Neill drew a walk to lead off the frame and moved into scoring position with a stolen base. Brian Smith then drove him in with a double to left. Smith then advanced to third when Effrey Valdez grounded out to short and later scored on a wild pitch.

The Tribe evened the score with two runs in the second inning. With one out, Maliniak singled off the right field wall, and junior Rob Nickle followed with a walk to put two runners aboard. Williamson then plated Maliniak with a double down the left field line, while Nickle scored when junior Brett Conner grounded out to short.

NYIT reclaimed the lead, 4-2, with a pair of runs in the third. Jerry Smith began the frame with a single to center and advanced to second with a stolen base. After Neill struck out, Brian Smith registered a RBI single to center and advanced into scoring position on W&M’s throw to the plate. While attempting to steal third, Smith came all the way around to score on a wild pitch.

W&M answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning to cut the margin to one, 4-3. Sheridan and Park recorded consecutive two-out singles to put runners on the corners. Maliniak then hit the ball up the middle, but NYIT’s second baseman was unable to handle the toss from the shortstop as Sheridan scored.

The College took its first lead of the game, 5-4, with two runs in the fourth. Williamson drew a leadoff walk and later moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Stampone brought in the first run with a single up the middle, while Guez followed with a RBI double off the left center field fence.

New York Tech tied the score with a run in the fifth. George Carroll drew a walk to get things started, and two batters later Neill walked. Both runners moved into scoring position on a failed pickoff attempt, and Brian Smith plated a run with a sacrifice fly to center.

The Bears went ahead, 6-5, in the sixth when Tom Leonick led off the frame with a solo home run off a 3-1 pitch that barely stayed inside the left field poll.

Prior to the ninth-inning heroics, the Tribe looked as if it might even the score in the eighth inning. With one out, Williamson singled to left and advanced to second with a stolen base. However, sophomore Chris Jensen went down on strikes, and Williamson was caught attempting to steal third to end the threat.

The teams will square off again when they play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.

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