FROM CBB NEWS SOURCES
NYIT 7 Hofstra 2
Old Westbury, NY * Junior Mark Stuckless drove in a run for the second consecutive game, but NYIT took advantage of five Hofstra errors and a strong pitching performance from Mike LaLuna to win Wednesday afternoon’s non-conference contest, 7-2. With the victory, NYIT improves to 13-23-1 while the Pride fall to 17-31.NYIT struck for three runs in the bottom of the first to take a 3-0 lead. Two walks and an error for the first three batters loaded the bases for the Bears and one out later, Tom Leonick worked a walk to force home the first run. Joe Lucente followed with a groundball to third that was misplayed, the second Hofstra error of the inning, to score the second NYIT run. One out later, George Carroll singled to left to drive home the third run of the inning.
Freshman Scott A’Hara pitched into the fourth inning before running into trouble again. After the first two batters reached on errors, Denten Neil singled to center to drive home a run and up the NYIT lead to 4-0. A’Hara forced the next batter to ground into a double play, which should have ended the inning, before walking LaLuna. Effrey Valdez made Hofstra pay for the extra outs as he blasted a three-run home run to increase the lead to 7-0.
The Pride strung took advantage of five NYIT walks to score two runs in the eighth. Senior Matt Kougasian worked a walk to lead off the inning. Sophomores Matt Prokopowicz and Elliot Hagburg followed with walks of their own to load the bases. After consecutive strikeouts, Stuckless walked to force in the first Hofstra run and senior Dave Cole worked one of his own to account for the second run, making the score 7-2.
Hofstra threatened for runs in the ninth, as senior Anthony Sarno worked a walk and junior Adam Perlo singled to left, but the Pride were unable to capitalize on the threat.
LaLuna pitched six shutout innings, scattering six hits while striking out six to earn the victory. A’Hara took the loss for Hofstra. Sophomore Drew Luedtke continued his streak of scoreless innings to six as he pitched 2.1 innings of scoreless relief. The lefty has not allowed a run in his last three appearances.
The Pride return to action this weekend for a three-game Colonial Athletic Association series when they travel to Northeastern. Game one is on Friday, 2:00 p.m.
Lafayette 8 Temple 6
EASTON, Pa. – Three different Lafayette players hit home runs in an 8-6 Leopard victory over Temple on Wednesday afternoon in Easton. Lafayette overcame a 4-0 first inning deficit to come from behind and win its second straight game.
Daniel Bierce, Matt Hall and freshman Adam McMahon provided the power for the Leopards (22-21). Bierce and Hall hit their home runs in a five-run second inning while McMahon hit his second in as many games in the third. Bierce and Hall each drove in three runs apiece and Bierce finished with a team-high three hits. Senior Jason Morytko pitched 6.2 innings of two-run ball to earn his first win of the season. Classmate Steve Roberts closed the game for the Leopards en route to his fourth save of the season.
Freshman Joseph Verdon, making his first collegiate start, allowed four first inning runs. He opened the game by giving up three singles, including a RBI double to Sean Barksdale. He issued back-to-back walks to force in another run as head coach Joe Kinney went to the bullpen, bringing in Morytko. Morytko recorded one out before giving up a RBI hit to Jamie Abercrombie to give the Owls (20-22) a 4-0 lead after one inning.
A.J. Miller led off the second inning with a single to right field followed by a walk to Jeff Butler. Hall came to bat with two runners on and belted a three-run home run to right field to cut the Owls’ lead to one (4-3). With one runner on base, Bierce hit Lafayette’s second homer of the inning over the left field fence to give the Leopards a 5-4 edge.
The homers continued as McMahon led off the third with a solo shot to make it a 6-4 Lafayette lead. Senior Tom Hayes had a hit fall into left field to score Miller, who had doubled, and pushed the Leopards’ lead to three (7-4).
Morytko continued to keep the Owls off the board, including working out of a two-on, two-out situation in the top of the fourth. In the seventh, Temple loaded the bases with one out and scored two unearned runs off Morytko to make it a 7-6 ballgame. Tyler Chromey entered the game with two outs and retired the final batter to end the inning.
Lafayette added an insurance run in the eighth inning with a RBI triple by Bierce that scored freshman Rob Froio. Roberts, who had entered the game in the eighth inning, made sure the two-run lead held up. The senior struck out two of the final three batters in the ninth to secure Lafayette’s 8-6 victory.
The Leopards will play a home-and-away weekend series with Stony Brook on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, Lafayette will travel to the Seawolves for a 1 p.m. doubleheader and then host Stony Brook on Sunday in another 1 p.m. twinbill. Sunday’s games are the final home contests of the season for the Leopards and the team’s eight seniors will be honored prior to the start of the first game.
Canisus 8 Buffalo 5
The Canisius College baseball team scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth to defeat the University at Buffalo 8-5 in the consolation game of the Big Four Baseball Classic in Olean, N.Y. Wednesday afternoon.
Five Golden Griffins had two hits in the game with Kevin Mahoney and Branson Joseph each driving in two runs as well. Brian Burton, Perry Silverman and Alec Cabello each had two hits while Kevin Mailloux scored two runs for Canisius (32-10).
After Buffalo (13-29) scored once in the top of the first, the Griffs responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Adam Donato and Ian Choy each walked. After a fielder’s choice by Mailloux, Joseph doubled home Donato to tie the game with Mailloux moving to third. Mahoney gave the Griffs the lead with an RBI groundout.
The Bulls tied the game in the third on an RBI double from Rob Mancini and took the lead on an RBI groundout by Mancini in the fifth.
Canisius reclaimed the lead with two runs in the bottom of the fifth, getting an RBI double from Joseph and RBI single from Mahoney. Canisius extended its lead in the sixth. Silverman led off with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Ryan Asis. After a groundout by Cabello, Donato singled home Silverman to make the score 5-3.
Buffalo tied the game in the eighth, taking advantage of four Canisius walks. After Nick Walczak and Shivam Bhan walked with one out, Charlie Karstedt doubled to center to tie the game. Ryan McGorman came in to relieve Matt Weber. McGorman walked the first batter he faced, but got a groundout for the second out of the inning. After another Canisius walk, McGorman got E.J. Folli to fly out to end the inning.
In the bottom of the eighth, Mahoney doubled to start the inning, and Burton singled him home to make it 6-5. Silverman laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Burton. After Kevin Reimer walked, Cabello doubled home Burton. Connor Burke followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 8-5.
McGorman (7-3) retired the side in the ninth to close out his seventh win of the season.
Canisius resumes its conference schedule with a three-game series at Saint Peter’s this weekend. The series starts with a doubleheader on Saturday, with first pitch set for 12 p.m.
