Game 1: St. Joseph's-LI - 4, Farmingdale State - 3
Game 2: Farmingdale State - 9, St. Joseph's-LI - 2 (Non-Conference Game)
Patchogue, N.Y. - The FSC baseball team finished up their four-game series with St. Joseph's-Long Island this afternoon in Patchogue, N.Y. and split the doubleheader. The Golden Eagles captured the first game, 4-3, before Farmingdale State won, 9-2, in the second. Both teams now hold a record of 9-6 and 8-4 in Skyline Conference play.
Trailing 1-0 in the fifth inning of game one, the Rams put runners on first and second as freshmen Nolan White (Miller Place, N.Y.) and Louis Annunziata (Howard Beach, N.Y.) hit back-to-back singles to open the inning. After St. Joseph's-Long Island forced two groundouts, freshman catcher Aidan Hutchins (Wading River, N.Y.) tallied a two-run, two-out double to put the Rams on top, 2-1.
The Golden Eagles quickly answered as senior third baseman Tyler Sanderson (Hauppauge, N.Y.) hit an RBI single before scoring on an error in the bottom of the inning to take a 3-2 advantage.
SJC-LI extended their lead to 4-2 in the sixth on a solo homerun by sophomore designated hitter Ryan Decoursey (Centereach, N.Y.).
FSC was held without a hit until the top of the ninth. Senior center fielder Vincent Napolitano (Bellmore, N.Y.) hit a single and sophomore right fielder Bobby Pollock (Manorville, N.Y.) followed with a walk. After a strikeout, White tallied a single to score Napolitano and the runners moved to second and third on the throw. During the next at-bat, a failed suicide squeeze caused Pollock to be caught stealing at home. St. Joseph's-Long Island would then force a groundout as they earned the 4-3 victory.
White had a team-high two hits and two stolen bases, while Hutchins recorded two runs batted in. Pollock had a triple and walk in the loss.
Sanderson and Decoursey had two hits, one run scored and one RBI for St. Joe's-LI.
In game two, Farmingdale State opened the scoring with a Napolitano RBI single, before a pair of sacrifice flies put the Rams ahead, 3-0.
FSC led 4-0 heading into the bottom of the third, but allowed a pair of runs as the Golden Eagles cut their deficit to 4-2.
With two outs and no one on in the top of the fifth inning, an Annunziata walk and back-to-back singles from freshmen Rick Russo (Wantagh, N.Y.) and Jack Altieri (West Islip, N.Y.) loaded the bases. After a balk scored Annunziata, freshman left fielder Daniel Molina (East Meadow, N.Y.) hit a two-run single to drive in Russo and Altieri to put the Rams in front, 7-2.
Farmingdale State added runs in both the sixth and seventh innings as they went on for the 9-2 victory.
Russo led the way for the Rams as he went 3-for-3 with an RBI and one run scored. Molina finished 2-for-2 with two runs batted in, Annunziata was 1-for-2 with a walk, RBI and run scored, and Altieri had a hit with two runs scored and an RBI. Napolitano tallied two hits, a walk and two runs scored, while White recorded one hit and had two walks.
Freshmen pitchers Michael Schock (Plainedge, N.Y.) (3.0 IP, 2 SO, 2 H, 2 R), Christian Esperon (West Islip, N.Y.) (W, 2-0, 3.0 IP, 5 SO, 1 H) and Kevin Primm (Massapequa Park, N.Y.) (1.0 IP, 0 H) held the Golden Eagles to just three hits in the game two win.
FSC next will host first-place Old Westbury on Saturday, April 24th at noon.
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