Mount Splits Skyline Set With St. Joseph’s-L.I.

By Steven Merritt

POUGHKEEPSIE – The Mount Saint Mary College Baseball team returned to action on Wednesday afternoon as the Knights split a Skyline twinbill with St. Joseph’s-L.I. The Mount triumphed in game one by a score of 6-5 in 12 innings and then dropped a 10-1 decision in game two.

Mount Saint Mary 6 – St. Joseph’s-L.I. 5 (12 inn.)
The Golden Eagles found the scoreboard first after a Tyler Crafa fielder’s choice plated a run in the second inning. The Knights responded in the second after Nick Rizzo reached on an error, moved to second on the same error and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Matt Barbieri drove Rizzo in with a single to right field to tie the game at one.

St. Joseph’s-L.I. pushed a second run across in the third on a Justin Stromski RBI single that scored Anthony Raucci. Raucci singled home Crafa in the fourth inning to push the lead to two.

Jack Goodwin’s singled to left field with one out with two men on and Barbieri scored on an error to cut the lead to one. A RBI groundout by Robert Brust tied the game at three after four innings of play.

Jesse Nakashian’s RBI single gave the Golden Eagles a 4-3 lead in the sixth but Brust singled up the middle to drive in his second run of the game to tie the game once again.

Neither team found the scoreboard until the 12th inning when St. Joseph’s-L.I. scratched out a run on a fielder’s choice groundout to score Gehrig Montoro.

In the bottom of the inning, Barbieri doubled with one out and Goodwin reached first on an error to give the Mount runners on the corners with two outs. Brust singled through the middle to tie the game at five, as Goodwin took third on the play. A throwing error scored Goodwin on the play to give the Knights a walkoff victory.

Barbieri finished 5-for-6 with three runs scored and a RBI while Brust had two hits and three runs driven in. Devin Tait had two hits off the bench for the Knights.

Four different players had two hits for the Golden Eagles and four different players had a run batted in for St. Joseph’s-L.I.

John Santana got the start for Mount Saint Mary as he threw eight innings, allowing 11 hits and four runs (two earned) with four strikeouts. Nick Zestanakis earned the win in relief as he tossed 2.1 innings, allowing one run on three hits.

Anthony Papa took a no-decision for St. Joseph’s-L.I. as he finished with seven innings pitched, allowing four runs (two earned) on seven hits. Anthony Caminiti took the tough luck loss, throwing 4.2 innings in relief and allowed two unearned runs on five hits with five strikeouts.

St. Joseph’s-L.I. 10 – Mount Saint Mary 1
The Golden Eagles scored three in the first inning as Nakashian and Raucci each had RBI singles while Daniel Campanelli had a RBI groundout. Michael Ferrufino knocked in a run in the fourth inning with a single while Tyler Sanderson had a bases loaded walk and Nakashian drove in his second run of the game.

St. Joseph’s-L.I. added four runs in the sixth inning after Sanderson knocked a run and Crafa also scored on the same play on an error. Nakashian doubled home Sanderson and then Campanelli singled home a run to push the lead to 10.

The Knights scratched out a run in the bottom of the seventh after a Tait sacrifice fly, scoring Sal Rizzo.

Tait, Santana, Liam Merlin, N. Rizzo and S. Rizzo each had a single in the game for the Knights. Nakashian had three hits and three RBI while Sanderson was 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored. Tyler Costa scored three runs for the Golden Eagles.

Barbieri took the loss for the Mount as he lasted 3.1 innings, allowing six runs on eight hits. Kevin Czecotka earned the win for St. Joseph’s-L.I. as he threw a complete game, allowing five hits and one unearned run with six strikeouts.

At 12-14 overall and 6-8 in Skyline play, Mount Saint Mary returns to action on Thursday, April 25 with a non-conference contest against Albertus Magnus. First pitch with the Falcons is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.