With eight teams in action, Sunday saw day games nearly across the board. Several schools wrapped up their series today and began the process of preparing for next weekend. Only one doubleheader today as LIU Post played two this afternoon, and Division III got in on the fun as SUNY Old Westbury had their first game of the season.
Division I
St. John’s Wins Their Third Straight: 7-3
The Red Storm continued their hot streak with a win against Richmond today. It was a joint effort between the pitching and the offense, three lefties held Richmond to five hits and three runs, while a four-run fifth inning propelled St. John’s to a win.
The Johnnies got on the board first with a solo home run from Robert Boselli III in the third, but Richmond tied the game the following inning. Then in the fifth, after Richmond walked in a run, Jesse Berardi drove in two with a single through the right side. Finally, an infield single by Michael Donadio lead to the fourth run of the inning when Richmond misplayed the out at home.
A two-run double by Gui Gingras in the eighth added a last bit of insurance for the Storm, but it wasn’t needed. Freshman Nick Mondak was sharp, striking out five in 3 2/3 innings, and allowing only two hits for one run. Next Jeff Belge, another freshman, threw 3 1/3 innings of no-hit ball, but he did surrender two earned runs due in large part to the three walks he had. Finally, Turner French came in and closed the game with two scoreless innings.
St. John’s will wrap up their weekend in Myrtle Beach with a game against last year’s NCAA champion, Coastal Carolina tomorrow at noon.
Seawolves Falls to Rhode Island: 6-3
Stony Brook will leave Louisiana and the Lake Area Classic winless after dropping today’s game against Rhode Island. Head coach Matt Senk told the school’s website, “Clearly this weekend was a tough start to our season, but it’s only just that, a starting point.”
Senior Toby Handley drove in all three of the Wolves’ runs with bases-loaded single in the seventh inning. Today also saw freshman Michael Wilson record his first start at second base, Wilson had his first colligate hit but didn’t stop there going three for four at the plate. Relievers Brian Herrmann and Teddy Rodliff pitched 2 1/3 and 1 2/3 scoreless innings respectively.
Next weekend the Seawolves travel to South Carolina for a three-game series with Presbyterian, started Friday at 2 P.M.
Control Issues Cost NYIT: 13-5
NYIT went into the bottom of the second with a 3-0 lead on Arkansas State, then things got wild. The Bears walked 16 Arkansas State batters throughout the course of the game, and errors lead to four unearned runs for A-State.
If NYIT was looking to take anything from this game it would be that their bats were a bit more live than they had been. Five runs are tied for their highest scoring game this weekend. Anthony Martelli led off the scoring with an RBI single to right, Joe Fusco followed up with a two-run double later in the second inning. Later two more runs were scored on grounders by Louis Mele and Robert Fiato.
The bears will host Sacred Heart for a three-game series beginning Friday February 24th.
Fordham Comeback Falls Short: 7-6
Fordham lost an early lead to Houston Baptist University, but the Rams didn’t quit, and nearly came back. Mark Donadio put the Rams on the board with a sacrifice fly which scored Alvin Melendez, who led off the game with a double. Brian Goulard followed up in the next inning with a two-run home run to right field that scored Bardwell.
Starter Anthony DiMeglio was great for five innings, in his stint he surrendered only two hits for a single run. By the eighth inning Fordham had been fighting back and began threatening the lead, the Rams loaded the bases for Ryan Mahoney who knocked in two runs with a single. Then came Goulard again who’s single scored one, but that would be it for Fordham, HBU got out of the inning. In the ninth, down one Fordham did get the tying run on base, just couldn’t bring him in to score.
Next weekend Fordam be in California to take on Long Beach State in a three-game series beginning Friday night.
Hofstra Loses Pitching Duel: 1-0
Hofstra fell to Louisiana Layfette this evening in a pitching duel, Terry Cillis got the start for the Pride. Cillis was given the loss but pitched great against a team ranked 13th in the NCAA. He surrendered six hits, but worked out of trouble allowing only one run. Andrew Mundy then came for the final three innings, in which he allowed only a single hit.
A moral victory for the Pride, against one of the nation’s best teams. Hofstra will stick around in Louisiana for a bit, they face Louisiana State University Wednesday, the 22nd.
Division II
Molloy Can’t Hold On vs. Pfeiffer: 10-7
Molloy kicked off their game against Pfeiffer University with three runs in first inning, but the Lions were unable to hang on.
It began when Angelo Navetta knocked in a run with a two-out single in the first, he had Molloy’s only multi-hit game. Elijah Leerdam then by drove Navetta in on a two-run homer to left centerfield. Pfeiffer then jumped ahead, but Molloy closed the gap to tie it in the fifth following two wild pitches and a single by Michael Rahn. Rahn also had a solo home run in the seventh, but the Lions couldn’t claw all the way back.
Molloy will travel to the Northeast Challenge in Myrtle Beach for next weekend.
LIU Post Swept by Limestone in Doubleheader: 17-5 & 8-5
A pair of losses for Post in Gaffney, South Carolina today, Limestone University got on the board early and often versus the Pioneers. However, there were a few silver linings on Post’s offensive side.
In game one Jimmy Mendyk and Michael Greene had two hits in three at batsapiece. Greene also had an RBI single in the sixth inning, and Thomas Asbaty drove in two runs on his own single earlier in the inning.
Green continued to swing a hot bat in game two where again he went two for three, but this time the star was Rob Andreoli. Andreoli was three for four, while stealing a base, and driving in a pair of runs on a pair of single.
Post will be heading to the Northeast Challenge in Myrtle Beach next weekend.
Division III
Westbury Can’t Get Past Stevens: 5-3
Westbury opened their season today with a loss against the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken. Sloppy fielding by Stevens helped keep Westbury in the game, their first two runs came on a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt by junior David Hawley. That set the stage for Hawley to score on an RBI ground out by Dean Sheridan later in the inning, and while that did it for the scoring, captain Tommy Ziegen did go three for four. He had Westbury’s lone multi-hit day.
While errors by Stevens got them on the board, Westbury did cost themselves four unearned runs in the same manner. Starter Adam Heidenfelder was great, allowing only two hits and no runs in his four innings, but it was the fifth inning when Stevens won the game. They put themselves ahead on two of Westbury’s four errors.
Westbury visits Kean University in New Jersey for their next game, Friday February 24th.
