Bula, Phelan Shutdown Mount Saint Mary as Rams Sweep
Game 1: Farmingdale State - 6, Mount Saint Mary - 1 Boxscore
Game 2: Farmingdale State - 3, Mount Saint Mary - 0 Boxscore
Farmingdale, N.Y. - The Farmingdale State baseball team swept Mount Saint Mary College in a Skyline Conference doubleheader this afternoon in Farmingdale, N.Y. The Rams captured the first game 6-1 and earned a 3-0 victory in game two.
In game one, the Rams (12-9, 6-2 Skyline) scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning as senior shortstop Brandon Cruz (Bronx, N.Y.) hit a two out RBI single to right center scoring freshman outfielder Anthony Ferrante (Holtsville, N.Y.). Sophomore right fielder Terrence Bohonan (Patchogue, N.Y.) later stole home, giving Farmingdale State an early 2-0 advantage.
Junior third baseman Ryan McAllister (Miller Place, N.Y.) hit a single up the middle with two outs in the second inning. McAllister stole second, before sophomore designated hitter David Zilnicki (Riverhead, N.Y.) hit a single up the middle, scoring McAllister and increasing Farmingdale's lead to 3-0.
Junior catcher Thomas Butler (Islip, N.Y.) led off the sixth with a stand up triple to left center. Junior second baseman Danny DeVito (Plainview, N.Y.) later hit a sacrifice fly to center as the Rams went ahead 4-0. Farmingdale State added two runs on three hits in the following inning and extended the lead to 6-0. Mount Saint Mary (8-10, 5-3) scored their only run of the game in the top of the ninth.
Junior starting pitcher C.J. Bula (Bronx, N.Y.) improved to 4-0 on the season after allowing no runs on two hits, while striking out eight in 7.1 innings. Bohonan was 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored and Cruz had two hits and two runs batted in.
In the second game of the doubleheader, the Rams struck first plating two runs in the bottom of the third. DeVito led off the inning with a walk, followed by a McAllister sacrifice bunt. In Farmingdale State's next at bat, DeVito scored as Zilnicki doubled down the left field line. After advancing to third base on a ground out, Zilnicki later scored on a wild pitch, giving the Rams a 2-0 lead.
Mount Saint Mary threatened with back-to-back two out hits in the fifth inning, but junior pitcher Chris Phelan (Patchogue, N.Y.) forced a ground out to the shortstop to end the inning.
In the bottom half of the fifth, the Rams increased their lead to 3-0, as Zilnicki reached on an infield single and freshman Edward Bergmann (East Meadow, N.Y.) scored from second base.
Phelan improved to 4-2 overall after pitching six shutout innings. Phelan allowed six hits and struck out six batters in the victory. Senior pitcher J.R. Lott (East Islip, N.Y.) recorded the save as he pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Zilnicki was 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI, while Ferrante had two hits for Farmingdale State.
The Rams next will host Yeshiva University in a Skyline doubleheader on Friday, April 8th at 10:00 a.m.
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