by Anthony DiCocco
Seven local teams were in action across six matchups on Friday, including the Battle of Long Island. Here’s how it all went down.
Division I:
Stony Brook 5, Hofstra 11
The Pride got off to a roaring start in their rivalry matchup with the Seawolves. With two runners on in the bottom of the first inning, Nick Gallello sent a single into center field that was bobbled by Nick Zampieron, driving in a run and setting up a pair in scoring position.
Gabriel Melara followed by bringing home another run with an infield single, and two batters later, Danny Corona deposited a Hunter Colagrande pitch over the right-field fence to make it 5-0 Hofstra.
In the top of the second frame, Stony Brook’s bats cut its deficit to three runs. Following a leadoff single, Scott Gell doubled off Carlos Martinez to score Chanz Doughty all the way from first. Soon after, Aidyn Coffey banged a run-scoring knock into center field.
An inning later, the Pride broke the game open. After getting two quick outs, Colagrande allowed a single and issued a walk, setting the stage for Tyler Castrataro to crush Hofstra’s second three-run homer of the game to extend the Pride’s lead to six runs.
Gell picked up another run batted in (RBI) in the sixth, but Michael Brown belted a two-run shot in the bottom of the frame to wash the run away and more. During the following inning, Michael Craig doubled home the Pride’s 11th run of the day.
Despite coming with the game already out of reach in the eighth, Paul Dulanto tripled home a run for Stony Brook for his first collegiate hit before Mike Cervoni drove him in to pick up his first collegiate RBI.
At the dish, Craig, Castrataro and Melara all recorded multiple hits. Castrataro and Corona led Hofstra with three RBIs apiece while Brown collected two. Gallello, Melara and Craig each plated a run as well.
Gell drove in a pair of runs on his two hits for Stony Brook. Doughty and Nick Dromboski each notched a pair of hits while Coffey, Dulanto and Cervoni tallied RBIs.
On the mound, Martinez struck out seven Seawolves and allowed three runs on six hits and three walks across six innings. Colagrande went three innings, allowing eight runs on five hits and four walks despite punching out six batters.
The Battle of Long Island will continue with the middle game of the series at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Georgetown 6, St. John’s 12
After an RBI single by Shaun McMillan and a two-run homer by Adam Agresti made it 3-0 in the third inning, the Red Storm put the hammer down with a seven-run fifth. With JT Raab allowing a single and two walks to fill the bases, the Hoyas turned to Jack Volo, who walked in a run and then hurled a wild pitch to score another.
Volo eventually recorded a strikeout to make it two outs, but walked a batter to reload the bases before plunking Jon LeGrande to force another run home. From there, Jayder Raifstanger dumped a two-RBI single into left-center field, and during the ensuing at-bat, McMillan drove in two more with a double into the gap to make it 10-0.
Georgetown scored three runs in both the sixth and eighth innings to chip at the Red Storm’s huge lead, but Ayden Frey recorded a two-RBI single in the bottom of the eighth.
McMillan drove in three runs on three hits. Frey and Raifstanger notched two hits apiece while driving in three and two runs, respectively. Agresti also plated a pair while LeGrande tallied one RBI.
On top of St. John’s potent day at the plate, Liam O’Leary delivered a quality start on the bump. Over six frames, he surrendered three runs on six hits, two walks and a hit batsman while striking out three Hoyas.
Jeremy Sheffield led Georgetown with three knocks, while Travis Ilitch added two and plated a pair of runners. Connor Price registered two knocks and an RBI while Brett Blair drove in two runs with a hit.
Raab struck out nine Johnnies across 4 ⅓ innings, but allowed six runs on seven hits and four walks.
St. John’s will look to secure a series win on Saturday at 2 p.m.
VCU 5, Fordham 3
In a battle of the Rams, VCU prevailed by slugging its way to victory. On the first pitch of the game, Dante DeFranco took Beau Elson deep to left field to make it 1-0 VCU right off the bat.
Despite getting down quick, Fordham evened the score in the bottom of the first. Fordham strung two straight hits together off Elias Holbert to put runners at the corners, eventually leading to a sacrifice fly off Joey Donnelly’s bat.
In the top of the third, Michael Petite broke the tie, as he crushed a two-run bomb to left field. However, Fordham cut the deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the frame. After loading the bases with one out, Donnelly picked up his second RBI of the day off another sacrifice fly.
During the following inning, Fordham tied things up, though it also had a costly mistake. Holbert started the frame, but was yanked after plunking the leadoff batter. With two runners eventually in scoring position, Dawson Newman recorded a strikeout to create a path out of the jam, but ended up balking in the tying run.
With the balk, Mason Dean was placed at third base, giving Fordham a chance to take the lead. However, he was thrown out while attempting to steal home.
VCU reclaimed the lead during the top of the fifth and never looked back. After DeFranco earned a walk, Jacob Lee blasted a go-ahead, two-run homer to left.
Fordham scattered some baserunners throughout the remaining innings, but never put together a big threat to get back in the game. With its hopes dwindling in the bottom of the ninth, Zachary Peters got Tommy Markey — who represented the tying run at the plate — to ground into a double play to secure the win for VCU.
DeFranco and Lee both picked up two hits, including a solo and two-run homer, respectively. Petite also tallied a two-run longball.
Donnelly drove in both Fordham runs despite failing to record a hit on the day. Madden Ocko and Anthony Grabau both collected multiple hits.
Elson allowed five runs on five hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch while striking out a pair over six innings.
Across three innings, Holbert surrendered three runs on five hits, a walk and a hit batsman. He struck out one Ram.
Newman earned the win in relief. Aside from letting an inherited runner score, he fired three scoreless stanzas to the tune of five strikeouts, two hits, two hit batsmen and no walks.
Peters earned a nine-out save, as he struck out four batters and allowed just one hit and a walk over his three shutout innings of work.
Fordham will aim to even the series up on Saturday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
LIU 2, New Haven 1
Nicholas Finarelli delivered a masterful performance to lead the Sharks to a series-opening win. The Chargers had no answer for the right-hander, as he twirled a one-run complete game. Over nine brilliant innings, Finarelli struck out nine batters, walked one and allowed just four hits.
Backed by Finarelli’s dominance, LIU scored two runs in the third inning, which was all it needed to cruise to a win. Elijah Fairchild picked up a one-out single off Max Hilsenroth before stealing second base, and during the ensuing at-bat, Ryan Rivera singled and advanced to second with the Chargers trying to throw Fairchild out at third.
With two runners in scoring position, Jake Kelleher sent an RBI single into center field to make it 1-0. To follow him up, Mike Polubinski put the ball in play and drove in a run with a fielder’s choice as New Haven conceded a run.
The Chargers finally got on the board in the seventh when two singles and a balk eventually led to a run when Casey Cerruto hit into a fielder’s choice. Nonetheless, Finarelli stranded a runner to close the inning and did the same in the eighth before working a spotless ninth to seal the win.
Kelleher went 4-for-4 with an RBI while Fairchild recorded two hits and a walk while scoring a run. Polubinski went 1-for-3 and drove in a run.
For the Chargers, Jake Russo accumulated two hits and Cerruto drove in their only run.
Hilsenroth allowed two runs on nine hits, a walk and a hit batsman while striking out three over five innings. From the bullpen, Jace Vanvalkneburg coughed up three hits and struck out a pair of Sharks over four scoreless innings.
The Sharks will look to chomp on a series win by defeating the Chargers in the middle game at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Division II:
D’Youville 2, Molloy 3 F/10
In a tight pitchers’ duel, the Lions came out on top in extra innings. James Sill racked up 10 strikeouts over seven innings while allowing three hits and two walks. One of those three hits was a game-tying solo homer by Zach Ashline in the sixth, which was the lone blemish on Sill’s line.
Nevin Scaperotti also delivered a strong outing. Despite allowing six hits and walking five batters while hitting one, he allowed one run and struck out four over 7 ⅓ innings.
The score remained 1-1 until the 10th inning. After Jason Torres got the first two outs in extras, the Lions turned to Jayden Patel, who surrendered a go-ahead solo home run to Dylan Koch.
In the bottom of the inning, Dylan Ruland hit a batter and allowed a single to start the frame, prompting the Saints to summon Samuel Gil from the pen. Gil walked the first batter he faced, causing Ryan Ehret to immediately take the bump, who walked Jack Coogan to force the tying run in before Jack Vallario wore one for a walk-off hit-by-pitch.
Vallario went 1-for-4 on the day with two RBIs, as he also came through with a run-scoring single way back in the second inning. Coogan went 1-for-3 and picked up Molloy’s other RBI.
Sean McAdams notched two hits while Ashline and Koch both belted solo homers.
The two sides will continue their four-game series on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at noon.
St. Thomas Aquinas 4, Queens 5
After a slow start for both teams, the Knights rattled off three runs in the fourth. After recording the first out, Cole Lindquist allowed a pair of singles with a walk sandwiched between them to load the bases. From there, Lindquist hurled a wild pitch to allow a run to score, and two batters later, Tommy Pasqua sent a two-RBI single into left field.
With a runner on second in the top of the fifth, Ryan Hillery took a Michael Vilardi pitch and laced it into left field to cut Queens’ advantage to 3-1. However, the Knights got it right back, as Niko Sorice pulled an RBI double down the left-field line.
The Spartans drew closer in the sixth. With two runners on and two outs, Alex Celeiro clutched up with a two-RBI double to pull St. Thomas Aquinas within a run.
Nonetheless, Queens added a much-needed insurance run in the seventh. After juicing the bases against Lorent Hoti, Joshua Angley deposited an RBI single into left field to make it 5-3 Knights.
With Peter Nenadich III on the bump looking to close the game in the ninth, a pair of singles and an error loaded the bases for the Spartans. St. Thomas Aquinas scored a run off a double play, but Celeiro was eventually thrown out attempting to steal home to send the Spartans home with a loss.
Vilardi pitched well for Queens, going eight innings to the tune of three runs on six hits, no walks, a hit-by-pitch and five strikeouts.
Opposing him, Lindquist went four innings and allowed three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out three.
John Harkins went 4-for-4 with a run scored and a hit-by-pitch. Sorice had a nice day as well, going 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI, a run scored and a hit batsman. Pasqua went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Angley plated a run.
Michael Zeis collected two hits for the Spartans while Celeiro drove in a pair of runs with a double. Hillery also drove in a run with a single.
On Saturday, the Knights will battle the Spartans again. The first game of the doubleheader is slated for noon.