by Michael Anderson
After a long offseason, the 2022 NCAA Baseball season is officially underway, as Friday afternoon brought the first round of action for college baseball this year. However, it was a particularly quiet day for some of the New York schools. St. John’s, Stony Brook, Albany, LIU, Fordham, and Old Westbury all opened up the season with a road game somewhere down south, but only one team came out victorious.
Division-I:
Middle Tennessee played the role of the away team against St. John’s down in Wilmington, North Carolina, and was able to win an intense game that went into extra innings, 3-2. St. John’s struck early with a pair in the first, as catcher Tate Ballestero singled home the game’s first run. First baseman Nick Cirelli grounded out productively to first base, driving in another.
After that, Middle Tennessee kept the Johnnies scoreless for the next nine innings, as lefty-starter Peyton Wigginton was able to bounce back from a rough first. Wigginton went seven strong innings, only allowing two runs (one earned) while striking out seven and walking none. He got the no-decision in the team’s win. His strong pitching allowed the offense to get the team back into it, as shortstop and Brooklyn-native Fausto Lopez, tied the game up with a two-run homer in the top of the seventh.
Reliever Jaden Hamm got the win out of relief, tossing two perfect innings with two strikeouts while the offense struck again to take the lead in the top of the 10th. Outfielder Luke Vinson broke the tie with an RBI double down the right field line.
Eriq Swan came out for the save in the home half of the 10th inning, but it would not come easy. After a leadoff double by Jackson Tucker and a wild pitch, the tying run stood only 90 feet away with two out. However, Swan was able to snag a line drive from David Glancy and secure the win for Middle Tennessee.
The two will go at it again at noon on Saturday.
McNeese State hosted Stony Brook down in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and pulled off a comeback to win 6-4. Stony Brook’s starter, Nick DeGennaro, sparkled through five innings, only allowing two earned runs on two hits while whiffing eight and walking none. He left the mound on the hook to earn the win, as Stony Brook led 4-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth. However, McNeese was able to get to lefty reliever Devin Sharkey, as they took the lead back on a Morris Kade three-run homer. They tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh on a sacrifice fly, and took a 6-4 lead.
After getting a poor start from Bryson Hudgens, the McNeese bullpen was able to provide 3.2 innings, only surrendering one run. Brian Shadrick and Cameron Foster combined to keep Stony Brook hitless over the final three innings, as Foster recorded a six-out save for McNeese.
Stony Brook struggled getting the clutch hit when needed, as they left nine runners on base.
The two teams will meet again on Saturday, with the game scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m..
The #16-ranked Georgia Bulldogs came out on top in what was a competitive game down in Athens, Georgia against Albany. Center fielder Ben Anderson led the game off for Georgia by homering in his first at-bat of the season, giving Georgia an early 1-0 lead. Georgia would later tack on to their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when Josh McCallister belted a two-run homer to center field. Cory Acton provided an insurance RBI in the next inning, making it 4-0 Georgia after seven. Albany was able to break up the shutout when shortstop Brad Malm lifted a two-run homer to left field, which cut the Georgia lead to two.
However, two was all they needed. Jonathan Cannon gave Georgia six scoreless innings while surrendering only two hits, striking out four without walking anyone. He got the win, and Jack Gowen got the save. Albany was able to get the tying run up to bat in the ninth after a hit-by-pitch, but Gowen induced a fly out to end the game.
With the win, Georgia improved in the national rankings to #14. The two will rematch on Saturday, starting at 3:00 p.m..
Long Island University was the only team of this list that won, as they were able to start 2022 1-0 with a 5-3 victory over Northeastern. The Sharks played the role of the away team down in Cary, North Carolina, and rode the right arm of Joshua Loeschorn to a victory. Loeschorn gave them five scoreless, only surrendering one hit and two walks, while striking out five. They provided him with ample run support, as they jumped out to a 5-0 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, Northeastern made the game interesting, as DH Corey DiLoreto clocked a three-run double to break up the shutout and cut the LIU lead to two runs. However, Josh Gainer mopped up the mess and recorded a dominant seven-out hold, while striking out five and not allowing a hit before handing the ball off to Nick Torres. Torres then pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth inning and shut the door, saving the win for LIU and Loeschorn.
Leading hitters were first baseman Bentley Boekhout, who had two RBIs, and left fielder Seth Surrett, who had two hits and scored two runs for LIU.
LIU will now head down to Cary, North Carolina, and take on Penn State for a doubleheader starting at noon.
Texas A&M blew out Fordham 13-1, souring Fordham’s trip to College Station, Texas. Fordham actually drew first blood in the top of the first inning, when catcher Will Findlay singled home outfielder Jake Guercio to take a 1-0 lead. However, the Aggies scored the final 13 runs, led by third baseman Trevor Werner’s big day. Werner went 3-for-4, doubling twice and driving in four runs for their offense. The Aggies actually relied on small ball, as the two doubles by Werner were the only two extra base hits from their lineup. They racked up 11 total hits, drew 11 walks, and were hit by three pitches as a collective group. Even despite the 13 runs they scored, they still left 12 runners stranded.
On the other side of the ball, A&M dominated, too, as Nathan Dettmer gave the Aggies six strong. He only surrendered one earned run on three hits, tallying seven strikeouts and no walks. The bullpen only surrendered one hit over the final three innings across three pitchers, and slammed the door on their opening day blowout.
The two meet again tomorrow at 3:00 p.m., with Fordham hoping for some improvement.
Division-III
Along with all of the Division-I teams was Div-III SUNY Old Westbury, as they took on Kean University in Union, New Jersey. Kean was able to win a battle of the bullpens, as they went with an opener, while also being able to knock out Old Westbury’s starter in the third inning. Old Westbury struck first with a solo shot from second baseman Paolo DePaulis in the second inning. Kean answered right back with an RBI groundout from DH Michael Medvetz, knotting up the score at 1-1. Then, in came the long-man, as righty Collin Kiernan ate up six innings on 105 pitches for Kean, only surrendering one earned run on three hits. Kiernan dominated, as he struck out 12 and only walked one.
After Kiernan’s first inning of work (the third inning), Kean put up a four-spot in the home half of the inning, taking a 5-1 lead. Shortstop Brett Hilsheimer broke the tie with an inside-the-park two-run homer, and was later followed by an RBI single and a run-scoring error. After that, the game went into cruise-control, until Drew Robertson singled home a run in the top of the fifth. Taking a three-run lead into the ninth, Kiernan handed the ball over to Daniel Keenan, who got the save. It was not a clean ninth inning, as Keenan allowed three baserunners, but induced a double play ground ball to help kill any threat of a rally.
Old Westbury’s bullpen did fine work for them, as Joseph Bekios, Joshua Cruz, and Joe Sarni combined to throw 5.1 scoreless innings, keeping them in it until the end.
Old Westbury now has seven days off, as their next game is Saturday the 26th, when they will take on John Jay at Baseball Heaven in Yaphank, New York. The game is scheduled for 2:00 p.m..
