Skyhawks defeat Concordia (N.Y.) 6-4 in second day of games

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (February 24, 2017) – The Stonehill College baseball team earned a 6-4 victory against Concordia (N.Y.) College and fell 10-5 against Dominican (N.Y.) College on Friday in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Dominican 10 – Stonehill 5
Stonehill's Ben Monte (New Haven, Connecticut/Guilford) led the Skyhawks' offense batting 2-for-4 with a double, a RBI, and a stolen base. Eddie Bowler (Hingham, Massachusetts/Hingham) also was successful at the plate hitting 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

Dominican was able to jump on board in the third inning with two runs off of three hits and a walk, 2-0. The Skyhawks weren't far behind, as they were able to string together their own hits to get two runs across, 2-2. Stonehill's Bowler sent a single out to the grass, as Monte reached on an error for runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the fourth. Justin Nicklas (Foxboro, Massachusetts/St. Sebastian's) also tallied a single sending Bowler home for the first run across the plate. William Kelleher's (Mansfield, Massachusetts/Mansfield) hit to the pitcher sent Monte home knotting the game in the fourth frame.

The Chargers did not waste time getting back on the board, as a run in the top of the fifth put Dominican back on top with a sacrifice fly from Arbely Soto, 3-2. The sixth inning was quiet as both teams were only able to get one runner on base.

Dominican got one run across in top of seventh and persisted in the top of the eighth with four runs off of four hits and one error, 8-2. Stonehill was able to close the gap to three, 8-5, as Steve Lee (Braintree, Massachusetts/Braintree) walked, Bowler doubled scoring Lee and Monte singled earning an RBI and crossing the plate himself in the bottom of the eighth.

The Chargers squeezed in two more runs in the top of the ninth to extend its lead back to five, 10-5, as the Skyhawks went one-two-three in the bottom of the inning.

Stonehill 6 – Concordia (N.Y.) 4
The Skyhawk's Pat Shore (Norwood, Massachusetts/Catholic Memorial) led Stonehill on the mound for five innings, as he struck out 10 batters and allowed five hits. Bowler had another game at the plate as he hit 2-for-3 with three RBI, two walks and a double.

Tyler Carey (Raynham, Massachusetts/Bridgwater-Raynham) singled in the top of the first inning, which was followed by Steve Lee (Braintree, Massachusetts/Braintree) being hit by a pitch to have runners on first and second for the Skyhawks. Bowler came up to the plate and sent a long ball to the grass for a double scoring Lee and Carey, putting Stonehill on top 2-0. Shore struck out back-to-back-to-back batters for the Clippers in the bottom of the first.

Concordia's bats came alive in the bottom of the third as Eric Roubal reached first base on an error by the Skyhawks. Stephen Nigro crushed a ball to the grass, doubling, sending Roubal home, but was called out at third from a throw from left field. Shore struck out the remaining two outs as the Clippers closed the gap to one, 2-1.

Stonehill came close to capitalizing on their two hits that were recorded in the top of the fourth, but the Skyhawks were unsuccessful in stringing them together to produce. Concordia, on the other hand, registered three hits and two runs in the bottom of the fourth as Ronmel Campo singled, Denny DeLos Santos doubled scoring two RBI and Jaylin Martinez singled. The Clippers now held a 3-2 lead.

With a Concordia pitching change in the top of sixth, Stonehill was able to string together two hits as Lee tripled scoring Carey who stole second previously. Bowler also singled sending Lee across home plate for a one-run lead back, 4-3.

The Clippers' Roubal drove a single to the outfield, where he later stole second getting in scoring position. OCampo singled, tallying an RBI as Roubal scored to pick up a run to tie the game, 4-4.

Stonehill got to the top of the ninth, where Joe Klingensmith (Topsfield, Massachusetts/Masconomet) was hit by a pitch and Patrick Downey (Cheshire, Connecticut/Xavier), who came in to pinch run, and Alexander Joyce (Newton, Massachusetts/Newton North) scored on a single by Matthew Rocco (Newington, Connecticut/Newington) putting the Skyhawks back in charge, 6-4.

Audrey Solomon (Groton, Massachusetts/Lawrence Academy) came in the bottom of the ninth and struck out one, got two batters to ground out, and left two runners on base as Concordia remained scoreless in the ninth inning.

Baseball (1-2) battles Northeast-10 foe University of New Haven on Saturday, February 25 with a first pitch at 4:00 p.m. in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  

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