Box score

RINDGE, N.H. (May 19, 2016) -- A mammoth home run by junior first baseman Bobby Morse leading off the top of the seventh inning keyed a four-run inning and the ensuing upset victory for seventh-seeded Dowling on Thursday afternoon at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field. Morse was backed up by a six-hit shutout from junior right-hander Cody McPartland, as Dowling dealt second-seeded and No. 4/8 nationally ranked Southern New Hampshire a 4-0 defeat on the first day of the NCAA Baseball Championship East Regional, hosted by Franklin Pierce University.

With the win, Dowling improves to 28-23, and advances to play at 7 p.m. on Friday, when they will take on the winner of Thursday's nightcap, which features St. Thomas Aquinas and Molloy. With the loss, SNHU falls to 45-6, and will face elimination at 11 a.m. on Friday against the loser of Thursday night's STAC/Molloy contest.

A pitcher's duel emerged from the early and middle stages of Thursday's second game at the East Regional, as SNHU senior left-hander Tim Viehoff and Dowling junior right-hander Cody McPartland matched zeros on the scoreboard through the first six innings. McPartland would go on to go the distance for the fourth time this season on 118 pitches (86 strikes). Throwing his first shutout of the season, he allowed just the six hits, did not issue a walk, hit a batter and struck out nine. For his part, Viehoff (8-2) departed after 113 pitches (74 strikes) and 6.2 innings, was charged with three runs on eight hits, walked one and struck out eight in the losing effort.

After six scoreless innings, Dowling finally broke the ice in the top of the seventh inning. Junior first baseman Bobby Morse led off and clubbed the second pitch of the inning for a long, towering, solo home run to the power alley in left-center field. His third home run of the season traveled an estimated 395 feet, clearing the walking path which sits approximately 30 feet beyond the 365-foot marker in left-center.

The Golden Lions would ultimately send eight men to the plate in the four-run seventh. Senior center fielder Chris Appell and senior third baseman Vinny Orlando had back-to-back one-out singles, which ultimately set the table for sophomore left fielder Tim Going with two outs. SNHU went to the bullpen, opting to bring in sophomore right-hander Ivon Clough to face the Dowling leadoff hitter, but Going drove an 0-2 pitch the other way into the gap in right-center field for an RBI double to score Appell. Two pitches later, freshman designated hitter Kenny Fils-Aime went the other way as well and dumped a two-run single into right-center to make it 4-0, which would stand as the final score.