Game 1: Eastern Connecticut - 5, Farmingdale State - 4
Game 2: Eastern Connecticut - 6, Farmingdale State - 2
Farmingdale, N.Y. - The Farmingdale State baseball team fell in both games of this afternoon's doubleheader to non-conference opponent Eastern Connecticut.
In game one, the Rams (0-6) were down 1-0 in the bottom of the third until sophomore right fielder Brandon Ernest (Owings, MD) hit a 2 RBI single to right which put Farmingdale State on top, 2-1.
Eastern Connecticut (2-0) junior center fielder Alex Zachary (Enfield, Conn.) led off the top of the sixth with a triple and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Alexander White (West Hartford, Conn.) to even the score at 2-2.
The Rams regained the lead, 3-2, in the bottom of the sixth after senior pitcher/designated hitter Dalton McCarthy (Manorville, N.Y.) stole home.
Tied 3-3 in the top of the ninth, Eastern Connecticut's Tim Budd (Cheshire, Conn.) led off with a single and scored on an Alex Parkos (Meriden, Conn.) triple in the Warriors next at-bat. Eastern Connecticut increased their lead to 5-3 on an RBI single through the right side by Pat Sirois (Cromwell, Conn.) which scored Parkos.
McCarthy and Matteo Gaudio (Glen Cove, N.Y.) started the bottom of the ninth inning with walks and each advanced a base on a Ryan Osborne (Westhampton Beach, N.Y.) sacrifice bunt. In FSC's next at-bat, sophomore second baseman Domenic Palumbo (Plainview, N.Y.) cut the deficit to 5-4 with an RBI groundout. With two outs, junior pitcher Sam Kosterich (Stamford, Conn.) retired the final batter to earn the save and seal the 5-4 Eastern Connecticut victory.
Palumbo was 2-for-4 at the plate with a run scored and an RBI, while Ernest was 1-for-4 with 2 RBI. McCarthy was 1-for-3 with a triple and pitched five innings allowing no earned runs on two hits, while striking out six.
The Warriors were led by Sirois' game-high three hits.
In game two, Eastern Connecticut jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a two out RBI single to right center by senior third baseman Chad Adams (Ware, Mass.). The Warriors scored three runs on four hits in the second inning to increase their advantage to 4-0.
In the top of the fourth, a two-run homerun to left field by Adams put Eastern Connecticut ahead, 6-0.
McCarthy led off the bottom of the fourth with an infield single and advanced to second on a single through the right side by sophomore left fielder Joshua Ockimey (Uniondale, N.Y.). After a Brenton sac bunt advanced the runners to second and third, freshman catcher Joseph Roche (Westbury, N.Y.) followed with a sacrifice fly to score McCarthy for the first run of the game.
Farmingdale State cut the deficit to 6-2 in the sixth inning on an RBI single through the right side by Brenton.
Neither team would score over the final three innings as the Rams fell, 6-2.
Ockimey finished with three hits in four at-bats, while Brenton was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Roche was 1-for-2 at the plate with a double and an RBI for the Rams. Junior pitcher Matt Seelinger (Westbury, N.Y.) allowed two runs and struck out eight in 6.2 innings of relief.
Adams was 2-for-3 in the game with a homerun and 3 RBI for Eastern Connecticut. Freshman pitcher Jason Staub (Portland, Conn.) earned the win and improved to 1-0 after allowing one run over four innings of relief.
Farmingdale State next will play host to Kean in a non-conference game on Wednesday, March 16th at 3:00 p.m.
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