By Vinny Messana
After falling behind 2-0 in the second inning, the Adelphi Panthers’ bats went to work and put up the next 10 runs of the ball game over the next five innings.
With freshman Ed Baram throwing up zeros, it was more than enough and the Panthers secured the 10-3 victory over Philadelphia University.
Junior Eric Hassell smacked three hits, including a long two-run shot in the break the game wide open at 9-2 in the sixth inning.
“We came out for some early BP, we knew the wind was blowing out,” said Hassell. “They had a couple slow guys on the mound so we just tried to sit back on the ball and make hard contact with a windy day,” he added.
After retiring the side in order in the first inning, Baram ran into trouble in the second inning. He allowed a bases loaded walk to bring in the first run and an RBI single to increase Philadelphia’s lead to 2-0.
The Panthers answered right back with a two-spot in their half of the second, thanks to a two-run double to the right center field gap by Kory Cassara to score Rob Vani and Hassell.
In the third, the Panthers opened up the game with five runs.
They took the 3-2 lead on a wild pitch to score Zack Levinson. Brandon Morse followed with a chopper to third that bounced off the third baseman’s chest to score Mike Catttani. Rob Vani followed with a dribbler that snuck through the middle, past the glove of a diving second baseman that scored Hassell. Thomas Colombo followed with a well-struck double to right center field that scored Vani and Morse to increase the lead to 7-2.
Baram, in the meantime, was mowing through the lineup of Philadelphia. After the rocky second, he didn’t allow a hit in his final five innings of work–finishing with 7.0 IP, three hits, two ER, three walks and four strikeouts for his first win of the season.
Steven Kuhn and Michael Ceparano each threw one inning in relief to secure the victory.
The Panthers compiled 12 hits on the afternoon. Vani and Cassara each had two hits.
They will be back in action on Friday at home against LeMoyne with Jonathon Mulford on the hill.
