Cosmos advance in D-II

Derek Osborne, who threw a three-hitter at Fair Haven during the regular season, tossed a four-hitter Tuesday as Springfield got the postseason off on the right foot with a 5-1 win over the Slaters in a Division II playdown game Tuesday at Riverside Park.

http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20100602/SPORTS/6020330                     # # # # Cosmos advance in D-II  •  Rutland Herald  •  By POODY WALSH Herald Correspondent - Published: June 2, 2010  •  SPRINGFIELD — Derek Osborne, who threw a three-hitter at Fair Haven during the regular season, tossed a four-hitter Tuesday as Springfield got the postseason off on the right foot with a 5-1 win over the Slaters in a Division II playdown game Tuesday at Riverside Park.  •  Osborne, who admitted to some nervousness, pitched out of three tight spots, finishing with five strikeouts while he walked four.  •  "I was a little nervous considering that this was a No. 9 and No. 8 game," said Osborne who was grateful for a defense that made just one error.  •  "It's always easier when you have a solid defense behind you," Osborne said.  •  The win sends the 8-9 Cosmos onto the quarterfinals on Friday against No. 1 Mount Abraham.  •  Fair Haven closes out the season at 7-10.  •  "You didn't see us at our best today," Fair Haven coach Kyle Ruby said . "We just left too many men on. When we need a big hit we didn't get it."  •  Ruby knew that Osborne was a dominant pitcher in the first matchup, but once again his hitters couldn't solve him.  •  "We just got beat by a good pitcher," Ruby said. "I feel sorry for our seniors who have to close out their careers with a loss."  •  Dan Brown was the starting pitcher for the Slaters, giving way to Jeff Bruce in the fifth. Brown was charged with all five runs as he allowed seven hits, walked three and hit two.  •  The last time Springfield won a first-round playoff game was five years ago in Windsor and its been eight seasons since a playoff win at Riverside. Consequently, Springfield coach Larry Partridge was grateful for what happened.  •  "What we didn't do today was hurt ourselves," said Partridge who was particularly proud of freshman third baseman Mike Muther, making his first varsity start in place of Taylor Fontaine who was unable to play.  •  "He made the plays," Partridge said. "They all made the plays. It was a great defensive effort."  •  Springfield scored single runs in the first, second and fourth innings and scored twice in the fifth.  •  Meanwhile, the Slaters were leaving runners all over the place including the bases loaded in the third and two men left in the fifth and sixth innings.  •  The third inning was particularly agonizing for the Slaters who had a run in and runners on first and third with one out and could not score any more. It was that kind of day for Fair Haven as they had two runners with one out in both the fifth and sixth innings and came up empty  •  Osborne drove in the first Springfield run, knocking in Muther with a sacrifice fly after Muther walked, went to second on a passed ball and to third on an infield out. Cody Kimball had a run-producing single in the second and drove in the fourth inning run with a fielder's choice. In the fifth Springfield scored twice after nobody was on and there were two out. Brandon Boyle walked, went to second on a wild pickoff move and scored as Matt Mitchell singled inside the third base bag. The second run of the inning came across when Jeremy Currie singled for the third time driving in Mitchell.  •  Fair Haven's run in the third came on a bases loaded walk to Derick Hernandez.  •