by Zevan Shuster
Game 1
The Farmingdale State Rams defeated the Keene State Owls in their season opener, and in game one of a doubleheader, on Saturday, March 7th. In a back-and-forth game, the Rams prevailed, thanks in large part to 5 ⅔ shutout innings to end the game by junior Joe Wolf, and senior Nicholas Rooney.
“It was something we learned last year, just keeping the zeros up on the board, even if someone goes out early,” Rooney said. “Even if someone goes out early, (our job is to) pick them up and let the team know that we’re going to keep them in the game, so that they can really grind through their at bats and make a comeback.”
Farmingdale’s starting pitcher Thomas Messina did indeed struggle early, giving up three walks and a hit batter in the first inning, and more importantly, allowing three runs to cross home plate.
Keene State outfielder Josh DeFrancisco led off the game with a single to left that was too hot for the third baseman to handle. The missed opportunity would prove costly, as Messina’s control was not where it needed to be.
Messina did throw DeFrasncisco out at the plate on a ground ball up the first base line to get the second out, but he was not able to get out of the inning without damage.
After senior Connor Walsh got his team on the board, scoring on a wild pitch with two outs, junior Joe Barter smoked a two-run double on the very next pitch, into the left center field gap, to put his team out to a 3-0 lead. Farmingdale, led by Wolf and Rooney, did not allow another run all game.
“We know we’re a team, we’re all together, and we know that if one of us doesn’t perform well enough, then we pick each other up, whether it be fielding, hitting or pitching. Whatever we need to do to get a win,” Wolf said.
In this game, doing enough to win was exactly what they were able to pull off.
After leaving the bases loaded in the first inning, the Rams caught a break.
After Keene State junior starting pitcher Isaac Keehn forced a 1-2-3 in the bottom of the second, he was on the verge of doing the same in the third, but after he struck out Amendola for the assumed third out, his battery mate Ryan Linehan overthrew first base after the pitch was in the dirt. Amendola was suddenly in scoring position. Given new life, Ryan DePalma took advantage, doubling to right field to put Farmingdale on the board, and cut the deficit to 3-1. So, instead of getting out of the inning with no damage, the two out error proved costly.
After the Rams once again knocked on the door in the fourth, leaving runners on first and second, they were finally able to breakthrough in a big way in the fifth inning.
Ernie Geraci came through with a two-out RBI double, driving in Amendola to cut Keene State’s lead to 3-2, before being driven in by Morgan McCarthy, on an RBI double of his own. Cam Alfano hit an RBI single to give Farmingdale the lead, one they would never relinquish.
All four runs on the day for Farmingdale were scored with two outs. Execution and approach are vital, and the Rams extra emphasis paid off in this game.
“The big thing here is two strike approach, not striking out, and not being selfish at the plate. We did a better job of that the second half of the game, and we know that we’re going to fight to the end of every game no matter what the score,” said Rooney.
Added Wolf, “We’re not about hitting home runs, and trying to pull the ball everywhere. We’re trying to play as well as we can, trying to put the ball in play, and see if the fielder makes errors. We’re trying to do whatever we can to scratch runs across the board,” he said.
The team first approach, and the emphasis on situational hitting paid off, as not only was each run scored for the Rams with two outs, but the four runs were driven in by four different players on Saturday afternoon.
With the win, the Rams moved to 1-0 on the season, and played the second game of their doubleheader later in the day, before playing another doubleheader at home tomorrow, Sunday, March 8th, at home against Plattsburg.
Joe Marino strands the Bases loaded with a strikeout to preserve the 1-0 lead in the 5th. pic.twitter.com/V2b1PxYgz9
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) March 7, 2020
Game 2
The Farmingdale State State Rams won their second game of the day, beating the Keene State Owls once again in a tight one-run game, this time by a score of 1-0.
In addition to Phil Gerard‘s RBI single, which was one of just two hits on the days for the Farmingdale, the Rams relied heavily on senior Joe Marino, who pitched 5 near flawless innings, allowing just 4 hits, while staying in control his entire start. And pitching the final two innings to close the game, making the first college appearance of his career, was freshman Christian Esperon.
Despite walking his first batter, Esperon didn’t flinch. If he was nervous in his debut, it didn’t show, as he retired each of his next six batters, three of which by the strikeout, to shut the door on any possibility of a comeback by the Owls.
“I found it fun. I like to compete. I feel like it’s more enjoyable when it’s a close game like that, to get to go out, and just show what I can do in tough situations like that,” Esperon said.
But before the rookie could finish things off, Marino, a senior and a seasoned veteran, had ro help deliver his new teammate a lead. In what was nothing short of an excellent performance, the right hander delivered.
“All of my pitches were on. My changeup felt really good. That really got the hitters off balance. (Whether it was) The curveball, the slider, everything was working for me, and Esperon came in and shut it down the last two innings, so it was an all around good game,” said Marino.
Though different in age, their urgency and competitiveness, no matter what the score is, is something they both put on display Saturday afternoon, perhaps reflecting a culture that permeates throughout the team.
“(The score) is in the back of your mind, but honestly for me, it drives me to do better. I think It brings the best out of me,” said Esperon.
“It’s usually always in the back of your mind, but you just come with the same mentality of getting first pitch strikes, then getting them (to chase) offspeed, and getting them down,” said Marino.
The Rams only run came when Tyler Schrimpf was hit by a pitch,then stole second, before being driven in by Philip Gerard’s bloop single into shallow right field, just in front of diving right fielder Josh DeFrancisco in the bottom of the third.
Farmingdale nearly nearly broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth. After Michael Amendola got hit by a pitch to start the fourth, TJ Toscano laid down a bunt to try and move him over, but sophomore pitcher Shawn O’Donnell bobbled the ball, and Tom Meuicci was off first base when he caught the ball. After Ernie Geraci sacrifice bunted them over, the Rams had two chances with two runners in scoring position to widen their lead, but they could not convert.
The top of the fifth inning was even more eventful than its predecessor. After Joe Barter singled to left field for Keene State, and Sam Czel struck out, Michael Montembeault double deep into the left field corner, to give Keene State an identical situation to what Farmingdale had the half inning before: one out, runners on second and third.
And it wasn’t just the situation that was identical; the Owls failed to convert, and left the inning empty handed, after Ryan Linehan grounded out back to Joe Marino (Josh DeFrancisco was then was intentionally walked), and Tom Meucci struck out swinging on a full count to end the inning.
Clutch execution was critical, and was a theme throughout the day.
“He (Marino) was throwing a great game. I wanted to come in there and finish out the game for him the best I could,” said Esperon.
“Coach really prepares us very well… it doesn’t matter if it’s game one or the last game of the season,” said Marino.
Marino and Esperon, senior and freshman, may be at different stages of their career, but on Saturday, they couldn’t help but be impressed by and appreciative of one another.
“I’m always talking to the seniors and juniors, just about what the season was like last year, considering how well we did, and what we have to do to repeat it. They’re always giving me tips and pointers, telling me to stay calm most of the time, and telling me to trust my ability,” said Esperon.
“One thing I really liked about what he did was that he got ahead early. As a freshman, the nerves may run a little high, maybe even higher than usual, so it was really nice to see a freshman go out there and pound the zone and pitch really well in his first career college innings, and get the save,” said Marino.
Esperon may be a newcomer to Farmingdale, and Marino may be on his way out after the year, but both were integral to the Ram’s success on Saturday afternoon.
It may be a sign of what’s to come.
