White threw 7.0 innings and struck out nine batters
Nunez tallied his fourth RBI of the season |
NORTHBOROUGH, Mass. (March 29, 2018) – The Stonehill College baseball team went 1-1 against Saint Michael's College in Northeast-10 Conference play on Thursday, March 29 at the New England Baseball Complex in Northborough, Massachusetts with a victory in the first game with a score of 3-2 in 10 innings and a loss of 6-3.
Game 1: Stonehill 3 - Saint Michael's 2 (10 innings)
Saint Michael's started the game off with an early run in the top of the first, as Iset Maldonado got on by an error and was moved around the bases by the next three batters, 1-0
Stonehill got a runner on in the bottom of the first and second, but Paul Prue was able to keep the Skyhawks from cutting Saint Michael's lead.
Maldonado again got on base in the top of the third with a single to center field and was moved over to third after stealing second and a grounder. Joe Robertson also drove the ball out to center field bringing Maldonado home for a 2-0 advantage. White got out of the inning with two fly outs.
The Purple Knights' Trevor Allen lifted the ball to right center field and it took one bounce and cleared the fence for a lead off ground rule double in the top of the fifth, but White was able to get out of the jam with two ground balls and a strikeout to leave on Purple Knight stranded.
The Skyhawks put pressure on the Purple Knights in the bottom of the eighth, as they tied the game at two, 2-2, and John Orzechowski (Monroe, Connecticut/Masuk) mimicked the Saint Michael's ground-rule double in the fifth to start the frame with a runner on second. With one out, Orzechowski advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a balk. Tyler Carey (Raynham, Massachusetts/Bridgewater-Raynham) then walked and quickly advanced to second on a wild pitch, getting in scoring position for Harrison Sabo's (Wilton, Connecticut/Wilton) long fly ball to right field and sliding into home for the tying run on a throwing error.
At the end of regulation, Stonehill had one out and Matthew Rocco (Newington, Connecticut/Newington) singled through the left side to get one base. Carey successfully put the bunt down in front of the plate, but Saint Michael's catcher threw the ball away and Rocco rounded the bases for the winning run, 3-2, in the bottom of the 10th inning.
Duarte knocked in his third and fourth RBI of the season |
Game 2: Stonehill 3 – Saint Michael's 6
Stonehill got on top early in the bottom of the second as Alex Hurley (Roslindale, Massachusetts/Catholic Memorial) led off the inning getting hit by a pitch and later stole second to get in scoring position. With one out, Hurley advanced on a passed ball and Rob Duarte (Raynham, Massachusetts/Bridgewater-Raynham Regional) walked to get runners on first and third for the Skyhawks. Isiah Nunez followed and launched a deep fly ball to center field for a sacrifice fly, easily scoring Hurley from third, 1-0. The Purple Knights' Zach Rodgers retired the side with a strikeout and stranding one on base.
In the top of the third, Saint Michael's scored six runs off of six hits to take its first lead of the day, 6-1. Julien Giroux-Harvey was hit by a pitch in the leadoff spot, and Trevor Allen singled to left to bring in Giroux-Harvey from second. Maldonado followed with his own single, as Joe Robertson and Holden Jackman singled, while Connor Hopkins ripped a double to left center for the Purple Knights' offensive attack.
The Skyhawks' Eddie Magi (Fairfield, Connecticut/Fairfield Ludlowe) and Aran Hamilton-Grenham (Woburn, Massachusetts/Buckingham Browne & Nichols) held the Purple Knights to one hit and no runs in the 5.0 and 1.0 innings, respectively, they pitched, while Saint Michael's Hunter Ruiz saw Stonehill cut the deficit to three, 6-3, in the bottom of the eighth. Rocco led off the inning with a single up the middle and Carey moved him over with a walk. With two outs, William Kelleher (Mansfield, Massachusetts/Mansfield) was hit by a pitch and Duarte drove a hard liner to center field for his third and fourth RBI of the season.
Ruiz and Hamilton-Grenham halted the respected offenses, as neither team was able to score or tally a hit in the ninth inning.
Stonehill (9-7, 2-1 NE10) will take a few days off, before the Purple Knights return to face the Skyhawks for the third game of the series on Monday, April 2 at Friedman Diamond in Brookline, Massachusetts.
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