Game 1: Farmingdale State - 11, New Rochelle - 0
Game 2: Farmingdale State - 7, New Rochelle - 2
Farmingdale, N.Y. - The Farmingdale State baseball team opened the 2018 season with a home doubleheader against The College of New Rochelle this afternoon and swept the Blue Angels. The Rams recorded an 11-0 victory in game one and followed with a 7-2 win in the second game of the doubleheader.
Leading 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth, FSC (2-0) used a one out sacrifice fly from junior left fielder Joseph Roche (Westbury, N.Y.) to score senior right fielder Brandon Ernest (Owings, Md.) and increase the advantage to 3-0. Freshman designated hitter Joey Barbuto (North Babylon, N.Y.) would later score on a New Rochelle (0-7) fielding error to put the Rams in front, 4-0.
Farmingdale State plated five runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth inning to take an 11-0 lead. FSC freshman Lou Puccio (Hampton Bays, N.Y.) pitched a scoreless top of the seventh as FSC earned an 11-0 game one victory.
Junior third baseman Anthony Gigante (Bedford Hills, N.Y.) went 3-for-4 at the plate, while Ernest was 1-for-2 with two walks, two runs scored and a pair of RBI. Sophomore center fielder Vincent Rice (Massapequa Park, N.Y.) had two hits, including a double and scored a run and Roche finished 1-for-3 with a run scored and 2 RBI.
Farmingdale State junior Tommy Digiorgi (Dix Hills, N.Y.) (1-0) recorded the win after tossing three scoreless innings in relief, while senior David Otero Jr. (Shelton, Conn.), who started the game, pitched three shutout innings, allowing two hits and striking out six.
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the second in game two, FSC took a 2-1 lead on a 2 RBI single through the left side by Tom DeSena (Centereach, N.Y.). Senior catcher Kenneth Johntry (Yaphank, N.Y.) followed with an RBI sac bunt which scored sophomore second baseman Tyler Schrimpf (Miller Place, N.Y.). The fourth and final run of the inning came on passed ball walk to Roche.
After the Blue Angels cut the deficit to 4-2 in the top of the third, the Rams answered with a three runs in the bottom of the inning. Neither team would score over the final 3.5 innings as Farmingdale State won game two, 7-2.
Eight different players recorded at least one hit in the victory as junior shortstop Shawn Blasberg (Sound Beach, N.Y.) led the way with two hits and two runs scored. Schrimpf went 1-for-2 at the plate with a triple, two runs scored and two RBI. Sophomore pitcher Joe Marino (Islip Terrace, N.Y.) (1-0) earned the win after two perfect innings in relief with three strikeouts.
The Rams next will play host to William Paterson in a non-conference game on Wednesday, March 7th at 3:30 p.m.
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