West Seneca, N.Y.- Baseball played for a chance to play in their conference tournament for the first time in 11 years. Needing two wins to get the sixth spot in the AMCC Tournament the Spartans were on the bad end of three big innings and lost both games to visiting Pitt-Bradford.

In the opener Pitt-Bradford scored five runs in third inning, all with two outs, and went on to take game one 8-0. Jeff Spors (Tonawanda, NY/Kenmore East) went 2-4 with a double.

For the eighth time this season, Matt Veronica (Kenmore, NY/Kenmore East) was hit by a pitch establishing a new team single-season record. It was also the 12th career HBP, tying the program's career record.

In game two, D'Youville jumped out to a 1-0 lead first-inning lead when Eric Simoncelli (Hamburg, NY/Hamburg) drove in Spors. It was Simoncelli's 24th RBI of the season, tying the team's single-season record set by current teammate Brent Gibbs (Wayland, NY/Wayland-Cohocton).

The Spartans were on the long end of a seven-run fourth inning and the was the difference in an 8-3 game two final score.

Matt Wendling (Cheektowaga, NY/Maryvale) and Mikiah Downing (Westpark, NY/Highland) knocked in the Spartan runs. Gibbs opened the inning with double, his second hit of the game and third of the doubleheader. The senior four-year starter closes his career with 95 career hits, second all-time on the D'Youville career list.

Spors made it a four-hit afternoon by going 2-4 in the nightcap. Ben Coughlin (Buffalo, NY/South Park) also recorded his first career hit.

"It wasn't the result we wanted," said Head coach Leo Dandes. "But we gave ourselves a chance at the postseason and that's a big step for our program moving forward."

The Spartans tied the team single-season record of 8 set back in 2000. The 5 wins in conference play are a new team single-season record.