FROM PRESS RELEASES
Northeastern 4 Western Michigan 2
The Northeastern University baseball team defeated the Western Michigan Broncos 4-2 on Thursday afternoon at IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla. Sophomore Charly Bashara improved to 1-0 on the season after outdueling the Broncos’ Ethan Hollingsworth.
Bashara finished with a final line of six innings, four hits, one earned run, four strikeouts and no walks, making it the second straight day that the Huskies were able to silence the heavy-hitting Bronco lineup. Senior Bobby Carrington was strong for out of the ‘pen for the Huskies, tossing three scoreless innings to pick up the save.
The Huskies were able to jump out to a 2-0 lead over Western Michigan in the bottom of the first after Tony DiCesare lined a single to right field on the first pitch of the game, Mike Tamsin hit a double off the left field wall and captain Josh Porter knocked them both in with a two-out single through the right side.
Captain Mike Lyon broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI double to center field that scored Frank Compagnone from first base, and then Frank Pesanello gave the Huskies an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth with his third home run of the season, a towering fly ball to left field.
Northeastern improved to 5-2 with the win, while Western Michigan fell to 6-3. The Huskies are set to be back on the field tomorrow with a 2:30 p.m. game against Bowling Green. Captain Kris Dabrowiecki will get the start for the Huskies.
Hofstra 9 Coppin State 7
Baltimore, MD-Nick Panzarella was 4-for-5 with two RBIs and Matt Prokopowicz’ eighth-inning, three-run home run proved to be the difference as the Pride won their fourth consecutive game, 9-7, at Joe Cannon Stadium Thursday afternoon. Hofstra improves to 4-3 with the win, while Coppin State falls to 0-10.
Coppin State held a 3-2 lead going in to the top of the sixth before the Pride plated two runs in the inning to go ahead for good, 4-3. Matt Kougasian led off the inning with a walk, moved to second on a single by Panzarella and following a bunt single by Elliot Hagburg that loaded the bases, David Cole drew a walk to tie the score at 3. Two batters later, Chris Mentrasti drove in Panzarella with a sacrifice fly to give Hofstra a 4-3 advantage.
The Pride put two more across in the seventh as Panzarella, who has hit safely in six straight games, laced a two-run single to right for a 6-3 lead. Coppin State scored twice in the bottom of the inning to pull within 6-5. Harry Williams, who was 3-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs scored on the day, had an RBI double and Patrick Regaldo followed with an RBI single.
Hofstra pulled away again in the eighth as Cole reached on an error and moved to second on a wild pickoff attempt. Dion Pouncil reached on a bunt single that sent Cole to third. After a ground out and a strikeout, Prokopowicz, the 2007 CAA Rookie of the Year and a 2008 Preseason All-American, drove a pitch over the right field fence for a three-run home run and a 9-5 lead.
Those runs proved to be needed as Coppin State mounted a rally in the bottom of the ninth. Tom Caltabiano came on in relief and after inducing a ground out to start the inning, walked the next two batters. He then struck out pinch hitter Sean Yampierre, before giving up a two-run double to Carlos Russell that drew the Eagles to within two at 9-7. Rob DiFalco, who saved Tuesday’s win over Long Island, relieved Caltabiano and with the tying run at the plate, struck out Angel Recci to end the game.
Anthony Gionesi picked up the win in relief of starter Drew Luedtke. Gionesi went 3 2/3 and allowed four hits and two earned runs. DiFalco recorded his second save of the season. Jeremiah Cothiere took the loss for Coppin State, allowing six hits, six runs and seven walks over 6 1/3 innings.
Hofstra, which was playing the third game of six in six days, returns to action Friday at Noon when it opens CAA play at William & Mary.
Holy Cross 8 St. Joseph’s 6
WINTER PARK, Fla. – Senior Gil Gomez (Lake Worth, Fla.) threw three and one third scoreless innings and allowed just two hits, picking up his first career win on the mound as the Holy Cross baseball team defeated St. Joseph’s in extra innings this afternoon. The Crusaders improve to 2-5 overall while St. Joseph’s falls to 2-8 on the season.
Freshman Brendan McCrea (Hicksville, N.Y.) secured the win on offense, belting a triple down the left field line, scoring junior Tim Hughes (Andover, Mass.) from third base. A bunt by sophomore Matt Perry (Sudbury, Mass.) drove in McCrea, securing the 8-6 extra inning victory.
The Hawks’ Ben Wendle put up the first run of the game in the first inning on a ground-rule double to right center field, driving in Jeremy Jakubowski from first base. St. Joseph’s put up three more runs in the bottom of the third inning, taking a 4-0 lead over Holy Cross.
The Crusaders got within two runs of St. Joseph’s as a double down the left field line by junior Jake Gorman (Norfolk, Mass.) drove in sophomore John Sills (Milton, Mass.) from second base. A sacrifice fly by sophomore Billy Cupelo (Franklin, Mass.) to right field brought in Gorman for the second run of the inning.
Jakubowski scored again for the Hawks on a wild pitch in the bottom of the fourth, lifting Saint Joseph’s ahead, 5-2.
In the top of the sixth, senior Brendan Akashian (Lowell, Mass.) hit his first home run of the season out to right field, brining the Crusaders within one run, 5-3.
A three-run rally in the bottom of the seventh gave Holy Cross its first lead of the game as McCrea drove in a run on a sacrifice fly, Hughes scored from third base on a passed ball, and Perry reached home on a wild pitch. Saint Joseph’s tied the game, 6-6, as Mike Galetta singled through the right side, sending Ryan McDonald home from second base.
With two men on and two outs, Gomez took to the mound in the bottom of the eighth, walking the first batter to load the bases and then striking out Mike Boyland to end the inning. Scattering just two hits in the last three innings, Gomez’s performance on the hill and McCrea’s offense secured the Crusaders second win of the season.
Holy Cross returns to action tomorrow as it plays Georgetown at 12:00 p.m.
