by George Caratzas
The weekend has come, which means it is time to recap some college baseball. With Friday’s play over, let’s check out some of the action amongst the local clubs.
Division I
St. John’s 6, Xavier 5
The Red Storm started their weekend with a walk-off win over a Big East Conference foe. They jumped out to a quick 5-1 lead, with Jon Legrande picking up a pair of RBI hits. Already up 3-1, Adam Agresti notched a run-scoring double, before Luke Orbon brought him home with a single stretch the lead to four.
Xavier chipped back, getting three runs in the top of the sixth on a single and a pair of bases loaded-walks. Having cut the deficit to one, the Musketeers scored the equalizer in the top of the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Connor Misch.
In the tenth, Legrande became the hero, leading off the inning for a walk-off solo homer. On the day, he went 3-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs.
Agresti and Orbon had identical stat lines, each going 3-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI each. Shaun Mcmillan also went 3-for-4 for St. John’s.
On the mound, Evan Hoeckele and Jed Boyle combined for 3 ⅔ innings of scoreless relief after starter David Rodriguez gave up four runs over 5 ⅓ innings.
Game two is set for Saturday at noon.
Stony Brook 5, Campbell 4
With rain falling and the wind blowing in, the Camels got off to a fast start. Darnell Parker Jr. hit Eddie Smink’s first pitch of the game over the left-field wall. Campbell added another run before the inning ended, and tacked on one in the fourth to knock Smink out of the game.
The Seawolves got a pair back in the bottom of the fourth, with Chanz Doughty coming up with a sacrifice fly before Johnny Pilla singled home a run. With Jacob Pedersen now on to pitch for Stony Brook, Campbell’s Dalen Thompson left the yard to lead off the fifth. That would be all that Pedersen allowed.
Stony Brook manufactured three in the seventh, with Scott Gell delivering a pinch hit, two-run, game-tying single through the shift. After battling into a deep count, Erik Paulsen dunked an RBI single to give the Seawolves the lead.
Pedersen then took matters into his own hands, recording the final six outs to finish the game. In all, he went 5 ⅓ innings in relief, giving up three hits, a home run and striking out five.
At the plate, Paulsen went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Pilla went 2-for-4 while also driving in a run. Gell had a hit in his only at bat, driving in two.
The second game of the series is set for Saturday at 1 p.m.
Game 1:Northeastern 6, Hofstra 1
Game 2: Northeastern 9, Hofstra 0
The Pride struck first in the first game, pushing across a run in the top of the second. However, it was all Huskies from there. In the bottom of the fourth, Northeastern finally cracked the scoreboard. Jack Goodman flipped the game, launching a three-run homer to put the Huskies up 3-1.
The score remained that way until the eighth when Goodman was once again in the middle of a Northeastern rally. After a two-run double by Harrison Feinberg, Goodman singled him home to make it 6-1.
Will Jones held it down for the Huskies, going six innings of one-run ball while striking out seven.
In game two, Northeastern scored four in the first inning. Feinberg started things with a two-run homer, before Matt Brinker launched a two-run shot of his own. Aiven Cabral kept things that way on the mound, going six shutout innings.
Jack Doyle singled home a run in the fifth, before Goodman launched his second long ball of the day — a three-run shot to make it 8-0. For good measure, Feinberg added an RBI single in the seventh.
Goodman went 3-for-5 with three walks, two homers and seven RBIs. Feinberg also had a multi-hit day, going 4-for-7, scoring four times and driving in five.
Hofstra starter Sean Hamilton fared well in the opener, also getting through the sixth but allowed three runs with seven punchouts.
With rain in the forecast, the series’ third game will have to wait until Sunday 1 p.m.
LIU 6, FDU 1
The story in this one was LIU starter Garrett Yawn, who went seven innings of shutout ball while picking up11 strikeouts.
Offensively, the Sharks struck in the fourth when Ryan Rivera doubled home the first run of the game. An RBI single by Mason Brenton doubled the advantage before Jerod Wade made it 3-0 with a run-scoring fielder’s choice.
Rivera was instrumental in tacking on three later on. Following a sacrifice fly by Jack Power, Rivera singled home two more in the seventh to make it 6-0. FDU got on the scoreboard in the ninth with an unearned run, but Evan Panjwani closed the door to give LIU a series-opening win.
Rivera went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a double. Jacob Pipercic went 2-for-3 with a walk for LIU while Chandler Ketchup had two hits in four trips to the plate.
Saturday looks to be a wash, as LIU and FDU will play a doubleheader on Sunday. The games will start at noon and 3 p.m., respectively.
Division II
Queens 2, Molloy 1
It was a pitching-heavy day, as the Knights and Lions were scoreless through seven. For Queens, Caleb Cassie went the first six, allowing no runs on two hits and a walk. On the other side, James Sill was excellent, going all nine for Molloy while striking out 13.
Queens finally took the lead in the eighth. With runners at the corners and one out, Peter Bounougias grounded out to bring home the game’s first run. The Knights added on in the top of the ninth, as Matt Filip brought home a run on a fielder’s choice.
Molloy got one run back in their last licks, as Jack Coogan drove in a run with a fielder’s choice. Nonetheless, Nate Rodriguez closed out the game for Queens as it picked up a 2-1 win.
No player on either side had multiple hits. Coogan went 1-for-4 with an RBI in the loss for Molloy. Nick O’Connor went 1-for-4 with a double for Queens.
The two sides will get the day off on Saturday before playing a doubleheader on Sunday. The games will start at noon and 3 p.m., respectively.
