Tough Day for Baseball
ITHACA
The Ithaca College baseball team held an early lead on Friday at Redlands, but eventually fell, 12-5, in Redlands, Calif. Ithaca concludes its spring break trip in California tomorrow at 11 a.m. against Spalding.
The Bombers wasted no time to jump in front, as they scored four runs on five hits in the top of the first inning. Ithaca's first five batters reached base, and senior
Christian Brown led things off with a walk. Junior
John Stanley then doubled and sophomore
Trevor Thompson singled in Brown for the game's first run. Junior
Zach Pidgeon stepped to the plate next and brought home Stanley on a base hit for a 2-0 score. Junior
Stephen Yanchus singled to load the bases with no outs, which set up Thompson to score on a double play. Ithaca's final run came on a dropped third-strike that allowed Pidgeon to score. Fellow sophomore
Ryan Dougherty picked up the Bombers' fifth base hit in the inning after the strikeout.
Redlands fought right back in its first at bat with two runs. The Bulldogs strung together three straight hits to score one run, and a sacrifice fly brought in another. From there, junior
Benji Parkessettled down for Ithaca and fanned Redlands' next two hitters.
Ithaca threatened to score in the second after Thompson stroked a two-out triple, but he was stranded.
The Bulldogs pulled to within a 4-3 difference on a first-and-third double steal in the bottom of the fourth with one out. After a base hit set up runners at the corners, Redlands doubled in a run to knot the game at 4-4 and then took a 6-4 lead on an infield single and error to bring home two runs. Another run would score on a base hit up the middle to account for Redlands' five-run fourth inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, Redlands tacked on another run on a fielder's choice after the Bulldogs led off with a single, stole second and moved to third on a groundout. After a wild pitch and stolen base, Redlands pushed another run across on a sacrifice fly to build its lead to 9-5.
Redlands scored its final three runs of the game in the seventh on a pair of sacrifice flies and a balk.
Ithaca scored once more in ninth on an error that scored freshman Dominic Borestra.
Parkes was handed the loss in six innings pitched. Parkes gave up 10 hits and seven earned runs to go along with two strikeouts. Sophomore
Logan Barer tossed the final two innings in relief and allowed one hit and three runs (one earned).
Thompson paced the offense, going 3-for-4 at the plate with a triple, RBI and a run scored. Yanchus knocked two hits in three trips to the plate with a steal, while Stanley recorded a double in a 1-for-3 afternoon.
STEVENS
Sophomore
Zeph Walters had three hits, but the Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team fell to Old Westbury 6-3 on Friday
The Ducks fell at 3-2 on the year, with the Panthers recording their first victory, moving to 1-2.
Stevens struck first in the bottom of the first. Junior
Jonathan Toro led off with a double to right center and was driven in on a double down the right field line by senior
Brian Hennelly. The Ducks kept the inning rolling with a two-out base hit by Walters to score Hennelly. Old Westbury answered back with a run in the top of the second off a home run by senior Christian Faust. Stevens extended their lead in the bottom of the second as senior
Ryan Mannello came across the plate on a double play.
The Panthers knotted the game at three in the top of fifth as senior Jacob Conors drove in a pair with a single just over the leaping second baseman. Senior
Gary Boardman pitched a perfect sixth inning for the Ducks while striking out the side to keep the game even. However in the top of the seventh Old Westbury tacked on three runs after senior Eddie Hernandez cranked a three-run homer to right center. Stevens threatened in the bottom of the eighth after getting two runners on, but senior Tom Ingram fanned a batter to end the threat.
Walters finished the afternoon 3-for-4 with a stolen base, while Boardman fanned give over his two innings of relief.
Ingram struck out six in five innings of relief for the Panthers while recording the win. Carlos Balmaceda and Hernandez each four hits for Old Westbury.
SUNY CANTON
Penn State Altoona used a three run seventh inning rally to sweep the SUNY Canton baseball team with a walk-off win in the nightcap of a doubleheader on Friday. The Lions (5-5) defeated the Roos 9-2 in Game 1 and 3-2 in the second contest of the twinbill.
Game 1
Altoona scored three runs in the second and third innings to open up an early advantage in the opening game. The Lions would break open the game with a three run fifth inning to take a commanding 6-0 lead heading to the bottom of the frame.
The Roos (3-6) scored their first run of the game when
Brandon Welch (Constable, NY) used an RBI single to plate
Christian Nazario-Cruz. (Naguabo, Puerto Rico).
Penn State Altoona added three more runs in the top of the sixth and looking to rally in the bottom of the inning SUNY Canton was able to just get one runner across as Nazario-Cruz singled to right center to plate
Matt Hall (Palmyra, NY).
Zach Lawrence (West Palm Beach, FL) got the start on the mound throwing six innings giving up eight earned runs. He struck out five batters and walked one.
Dan Coant (Fulton, NY) threw one inning in relief surrendering just one hit.
Game 2
The Roos (3-7) did their scoring early in the second game against the Lions scoring one run each in the second and third innings.
Seth Douglas led off the second with a solo shot to dead center field, the first SUNY Canton long ball of the season. Nazario-Cruz would turn a leadoff infield single in the third into a run as he scored with two down in the frame on an error by the catcher.
Penn State Altoona trailed 2-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh but rallied for the walk-off win. Pat McHenry led off with a homer to left. With one out Jim Shomberg used a base hit to center to put the tying run on base. Josh DeGol pinch-hit and singled to left field advancing to second on the throw.
The Roos intentionally walked Dan Dwyer to load the bases looking for the double play. Unfortunately Jarrett Fulmer followed by drawing a walk bringing the tying run across the plate. Jack Cleary provided the late-game heroics for the Lions singling up the middle to score Olson for the victory.
Derek Harkin (Ottawa, ON) picked up his second loss of the season despite giving up just three runs in six and one-third innings. He struck out three and walked three. Mike Marley earned his second victory of the season for Altoona.