By Anthony DiCocco
Eight of the area’s collegiate teams took the field on Friday night. Let’s break down the action.
Division I:
Towson 1, Stony Brook 3
After a rough start, Micah Worley and the Seawolves settled in nicely. To start the game, Nick LoBello sliced a triple down the right field line before Brian Heckelman brought him home with a groundout.
However, that would be all Worley would surrender. The southpaw went six innings to the tune of one run on two hits and two walks while racking up eight strikeouts.
With Worley dealing, Stony Brook’s bats took control of the lead in the third inning. With one out, Chris Carson and Nick Zampieron both singled off Dutch DeProspero. From there, Mike Villani scored them both with a two-run double to put the Seawolves ahead.
In the seventh inning, Stony Brook padded its lead. Scott Gell doubled off Matt Lynch to start things off, and after James Schaffer bunted him to third base, Carson picked up a run batted in (RBI) with a sacrifice fly.
With Aidan Colagrande on the bump for the eighth, the Tigers got the tying runs on base, but Frank Adamski Jr. lined into a double play to end the threat before John Rizzo worked a clean ninth for the save.
Gell led the Seawolves with two hits, including a double, while Villani’s lone hit was a two-RBI double. Carson batted in the team’s other run.
DeProspero threw for four innings, allowing two runs on four hits, two walks and two punch outs. In relief, Lynch allowed one run on a hit and a walk while striking out four Seawolves across four frames.
Heckelman drove the Tigers’ only run in.
The Seawolves will continue their three-game series on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Northeastern 4, Hofstra 5 F/11
In what was a back-and-forth affair, the Pride eventually prevailed.
Carlos Martinez and Robbie O’Connor posted zeroes for the first three innings, but each began to falter in the fourth. With two on and two out in the top of the frame, Cooper Tarantino singled home a run. During the ensuing at-bat, AJ Aschettino plated two runs with a single to center to make it 3-0.
In the bottom of the frame, Hofstra put runners at the corners, and though Nick Gallello grounded into a double play, putting the ball in play got the Pride on the board.
An inning later, Tyler Castrataro laid down a bunt single before Gabriel Melara was plunked. Nick Biddle then bunted the pair over, allowing Michael Brown to hit an RBI groundout. In the sixth inning, Hofstra finally got even with a big blow, as Tyler Cox crushed an opposite field tank to lead off the inning.
With Andrew Basel on the mound in the seventh, Brown notched an RBI single to put the Pride in front for the first time, but the Huskies responded in the eighth. Jackson Bauer allowed two hits to begin the frame before Tanner Sanderoff entered and issued a walk. Though he recorded the second out of the frame, he walked Carter Bentley to force the tying run in.
Maddon MacArthur got the Pride out of the fire, starting a stretch of each sides’ bullpens throwing up zeroes.
However, it was Brown who came through again to win it for Hofstra in extras. During the 11th inning, Biddle bunted Melara to second after he singled off Matthew Sapienza to lead off the frame, allowing Brown to crack a walk-off single into right field.
At the plate, Brown went 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Melara also notched a pair of hits and scored twice, while Cox had the team’s lone homer.
Aschettino drove in two Northeastern runs while Bentley and Tarantino plated one each.
For the Pride, Martinez pitched five innings to the tune of three runs, four hits, three walks and five strikeouts. In 2 ⅓ shutout innings in relief, Brayden Gregg did not allow a hit and earned the victory.
O’Connor allowed four runs on four hits, two walks and two punch outs through six innings for the Huskies.
The Pride will be back in action at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Saint Joseph’s 20, Fordham 0
The series opener was essentially over before it even started, as the Hawks posted five runs in each of the first two innings of the matchup.
Following a strikeout to open the game, Beau Elson allowed the next six batters to reach base via three singles, two walks and a hit-by-pitch to make it 3-0. An error by Ernie Little in left field then brought home another run before Carson Applegate notched a run-scoring single to cap off the inning’s scoring.
Aidan O’Brien-Gonzalez took over on the mound in the second stanza and did not fare any better. After allowing three hits to fill the base, O’Brien-Gonzalez walked the next two batters he saw to force in a pair of runs before Applegate plated a couple of more with a double.
Joey Gale drove Saint Joseph’s 10th run of the game in to round out the scoring in the second. In the third, Blake Primrose clubbed a leadoff homer to kick off a three-run output. The Hawks scored four more in the fifth and three in the ninth to add insult to injury.
Every Hawks hitter in the starting lineup recorded at least one hit. Applegate and Tim Dickinson each drove in four runs, with Alex Kelsey plating three. Primrose and Gale both recorded two RBIs while Alex Venezia, Joey Pagano and Jason Janesko all tallied one.
Mason Morello was the lone Fordham pitcher to escape the game unscathed, as he threw 3 ⅓ scoreless and hitless innings in relief.
Duke McCarron started for Saint Joseph’s, going 4 ⅓ innings with four strikeouts while allowing four walks and four hits. From the bullpen, Logan Franks, Matt Speicher and Drew DeSanto combined to punch out five Rams and allow three hits through 4 ⅔ shutout innings.
Madden Ocko collected three of the Rams’ seven hits.
On Saturday, the two sides will compete in the middle game at 1 p.m.
California Baptist 12, St. John’s 3
Despite being excellent for most of the season so far, Liam O’Leary labored a bit on Friday. In the top of the first inning, the right-hander allowed two straight singles to start the game before walking a pair of batters to force in a Lancers run.
In the third, California Baptist loaded the bases against O’Leary again, as an RBI fielder’s choice and run-scoring single by Ryder Dykstra and Diesel Toth, respectively, made it 3-0. Immediately after, Tosh was thrown out at second, but Dykstra trotted home to score on the throw.
During the bottom of the frame, the Red Storm cut the deficit in half. After Jon LeGrande drew a walk off Nico Urquidi, Shaun McMillan belted a two-run shot over the left field fence.
In the fifth, Jayder Raifstanger delivered an RBI single to make it 4-3, but the Lancers’ offense erupted in the sixth. After Kyle Chase walked three batters to juice the bases, Victor Frederick entered and coughed up an RBI knock to Cole Hansen before Bryce McFeely plated two more runs with a single of his own.
A squeeze bunt from Ben Castelli drove in another run prior to Connor Ross and Toth each recording RBI base hits to complete the six spot.
With the game already out of reach, Hansen squared up another two-RBI single in the ninth.
McMillan and Raifstanger each notched two hits, with McMillan totaling two RBIs compared to Raifstanger’s one.
Hansen accumulated five hits and three RBIs for California Baptist, while Toth drove in two runs on three knocks. Ross and McFeely each plated a pair, with Castelli and Dykstra adding a run batted in each.
Urquidi surrendered three runs on five hits, two walks and two strikeouts across 4 ⅔ innings. Before the Johnnies’ bullpen melted down, O’Leary threw for five innings, allowing four runs, six hits and three walks while striking out one batter.
The Red Storm and the Lancers will lock horns again on Saturday at 3 p.m.
LIU 13, UMES 2 F/8
In their series opener, the Sharks completed a wire-to-wire effort against the Hawks. After two of the first three runners reached base to begin the contest, Nick Polubinski singled home a run.
Immediately after, Elijah Fairchild banged an RBI single into center field off Esteban Torres to make it 2-0.
Once the fourth inning rolled around, LIU gave its lead some extra cushion. With two runners on and two out, Noah Sorensen reached base on a Henry Clausell error to bring a run home. During the ensuing at-bat, Ryan Rivera dropped down a squeeze bunt and ended up scoring two runs, as an error by Torres allowed Cord Dobrinski to trot home as well.
In the bottom of the seventh frame, the UMES got a pair of runs back. With a pair of runners on and two away, Julian Jimenez sent a triple into right-center field to bring the Hawks within 5-2 and end Nicholas Finarelli’s day. However, Torin Kassebaum struck Darius Brown out on three pitches to strand Jimenez at third base.
Nonetheless, LIU attacked again in the eighth. The Sharks loaded the bases with Brown toeing the rubber, allowing Dobrinski to drive in a run with a groundout before Sorensen and Rivera strung back-to-back RBI singles together. Before the eighth inning ended, LIU tacked on five more runs, leading to the mercy rule being invoked once the Hawks were retired in the bottom half.
Rivera led the Sharks with three hits and recorded two RBIs to boot. Fairchild and Jake Kelleher also notched multi-hit games, with Fairchild driving in a pair of runs as well. Polubinski totaled two RBIs while Sorenson, Dobrinski, Nick Matson, Joseph Durso and Nicholas Delvecchio all drove in one.
Jimenez drove in both UMES runs.
On top of their big offensive day, Finarelli was brilliant on the mound for the Sharks aside from his lone blemish in the seventh. Through 6 ⅔ innings, he struck out six Hawks and allowed two runs on four hits and three walks.
Torres allowed five runs, with only one being earned. He struggled nonetheless, as he coughed up six hits and issued five free passes while striking out one.
LIU will look to capture a win at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Division II:
Molloy 10, Queens 5
The Knights jumped out to an immediate 3-0 lead on Friday. After an error, a walk and a pair of steals combined to put two men in scoring position, Justin Chong drove in a run with an infield single.
A groundout off Joshua Angley’s bat scored another run. Immediately after, Chong stole second and made it to third on a James Sill wild pitch, allowing Michael Vilardi to send a sacrifice fly to center field.
However, the Lions stormed back in the third. Two walks and two wild pitches by Peter Nenadich III placed runners at the corners, and from there, Joe Burriesci drove in a run on a fielder’s choice. Mike Sweeney then doubled home another to bring Molloy within a run before Brian Sanchez tied the game with a groundout.
With the bases empty, Nenadich III was not out of the woods yet. Sean Welsh blasted a longball to right-center field to give the Lions a 4-3 lead. Steve Mulqueen followed with a single and a steal before Johnny Dezago took over on the mound and gave up an RBI single to Jack Coogan.
In the fifth, Welsh doubled and Mulqueen walked to put pressure on Dezago, who spun back-to-back wild pitches to make it 6-3.
Vincent Mallon homered to kick off the sixth inning before the Knights loaded the bases to chase Sill from the mound. Jason Torres took the ball and walked Thomas McElwee to force a run home, but retired the next two batters to keep Molloy ahead 6-5.
Nonetheless, the Lions loaded the bases in the following inning, leading to an RBI-walk from Jeremy Taggart while facing Noah Kirwin. To begin the eighth, Kirwin walked the first two batters he saw and was yanked for Dominick Persichilli, who allowed an RBI single to Welsh.
The Lions eventually refilled the basepaths for Charlie Imhof, who placed a two-run single into left field. In the bottom of the eighth, Torres worked out of a bases loaded jam before Artie Green stranded one more runner in the ninth to close the game out.
For Molloy, Welsh was a triple shy of the cycle, notching four hits with three runs scored and two RBIs. Imhof tallied two hits and two RBIs, while Sweeney, Sanchez, Coogan, Taggart and Burriesci all drove in a run.
Chong, Vilardi, Angley, Mallon and McElwee all drove in a run each for Queens.
Through 5 ⅓ innings, Sill coughed up five runs (three earned) on three hits, two walks and five strikeouts. Torres hurled 2 ⅔ scoreless frames, punching out five batters while allowing a hit and walking two.
Nenadich went just 2 ⅔ innings and pitched to five runs, three hits, three walks and two strikeouts. As the first man out of the bullpen, Dezago surrendered two runs on three hits, five walks and two punch outs over 3 ⅔ frames.
The two sides will partake in a doubleheader on Saturday with the first pitch of game one being set for noon.
Division III:
Game 1: USMMA 10, Yeshiva 5 F/7
Game 2: USMMA 14, Yeshiva 4 F/7
In game one, the Mariners pulled off a comeback. With USMMA up 1-0 right out of the gate, Jake Arnow went yard in the bottom of the first inning to tie the score. Tucker Bearden then walked two of the next three batters he faced, allowing Gavriel Weinstein to knock in a run.
During the following inning, Arnow crushed a two-run bomb to make it 4-1. However, the Mariners put a five-run third together against Jacob Shakin to take the lead and never look back. Soon after a leadoff single and steal by Braden Vazquez, Tommy Chiappetti doubled to plate a run before Luke Kruer singled him home to pull the Mariners within a run.
Kruer promptly stole second and made it to third on an error. Immediately after, Ryan Melton was hit by a pitch and used his wheels to take an extra base, paving the way for Jason Brown to pick up an RBI with a sacrifice fly before Melton crossed the plate on a wild pitch.
To cap off the inning, Charles Cahalan doubled, and while stealing third, Zachary Gross’ throw went awry for Cahalan to trot home.
Kruer added an RBI single in the fourth, and in the sixth, Melton notched a run-scoring double. In the seventh, Michael Brown mirrored Melton before Chiappetti tallied a sacrifice fly. Izzy Gober plated a run to make it 10-5 in the bottom of the seventh, but the game was over long before then.
Kruer led the way, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Chiappetti also drove in a pair. Melton, Landon Trout and both Jason and Michael Brown all picked up an RBI apiece. Vazquez touched the plate three times and swiped four bags.
Arnow went 3-for-3 with two homers and three RBIs for the Maccabees. Weinstein and Gober knocked in a run each.
On the bump, Bearden allowed four runs on five hits, three walks and four strikeouts. Despite allowing eight runs (six earned), Shakin went six innings while surrendering three walks and seven hits with a punch out.
Much like the opener, the Maccabees got off to a solid start in the second half of the doubleheader, as they led 3-2 after three innings. The Mariners flipped the score in the top of the fourth, but Yeshiva fought right back to deadlock the score at 4-4 in the bottom of the stanza.
Nonetheless, USMMA broke the game open with big fifth and sixth innings. After surrendering a leadoff single, Chaim Stark allowed Jason Brown to head all the way to third base on an error, setting the stage for Ricardo Olivares to register a sacrifice fly. Soon after, Drew Davis singled and then stole second base, leading to a Cahalan RBI knock.
During the following frame, Melton drove in a run with a single off Josh Canner. With the bases loaded soon after, Canner hurled consecutive wild pitches to bring two more runs home before Thomas Byrne eventually drove in two runs against Eli Zirdok with a single to cap off the five-run sixth.
In the seventh, the Mariners added three more runs for good measure to complete the sweep.
Kruer got the start in game two and pitched to four runs (three earned), six hits, no walks and seven strikeouts across four frames. On the other side, Stark surrendered six runs (five earned) on seven hits, two walks and four strikeouts.
At the dish, Kruer drove in three runs while Byrne brought in two. Melton, Jason Brown, Olivares, Cahalan and Axel Prechel added an RBI apiece. Melton, Jason Brown and Vazquez all tallied multiple hits, while Vazquez scored three more runs and stole two more bases.
Shakin, Simmy Goldberger and Reuben Benzaquen drove in runs for Yeshiva.
With the doubleheader’s end, USMMA’s weekend comes to a close. The Mariners will take on Ramapo on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.