WNEC 11, Rivier 5

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. Ã' Junior centerfielder Jeff Maurutis (Milford, CT) went 3-for-5 with a triple runs, and a RBI as third-seeded Western New England College defeated sixth-seeded Rivier College, 11-5, in a quarterfinal round game of the 2004 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament.

WNEC (25-9) will play either Daniel Webster or Suffolk at 6:00 p.m. Thursday (April 29) at Holman Stadium in Nashua, New Hampshire in the double elimination portion of the tournament.

Junior catcher Matt Hackney (Bristol, CT) was 2-for-2 with a double, walk, run, and three RBI while junior shortstop Justin McGee (Wilbraham, MA) was 2-for-4 with a triple, two RBI, and three runs for the Golden Bears who won their 11th straight game.

Junior Ryan Macdonald (Milford, CT) pitched 7 1/3 innings in relief allowing only seven hits and one run with three strikeouts and two walks. He now is 5-2.

Rivier (7-17) exploded for four runs in the first inning before WNEC scored four times in the third to take a 5-4 lead. The upset-minded Raiders trailed only 8-4 before the Golden Bears added three insurance runs in the eighth.

Freshman pitcher/centerfielder John McMahon (Somerville, MA) went 3-for-5 with a run for Rivier while freshman centerfielder/pitcher/rightfielder Cory Wing (Dixfield, ME) was 2-for-4 with a triple, run, and three RBI. Freshman second baseman/pitcher Nick Jackson (Litchfield, NH) had two hits in four at-bats