Bears Unable to Hold Off CCNY

NEW YORK, NY – The St. Joseph's College baseball team clung on to a one-run lead for most of the game, but couldn't fend off the City College of New York, falling 9-6 on Wednesday afternoon at Randall's Island.

Joseph Boccia (Westwood, NJ/Westwood) opened the scoring for St. Joseph's, leading off the game with a single to center, stealing second and brought home by a Kevin Diaz (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) single. The Bears led 1-0 until the bottom of the third, when two defensive miscues allowed CCNY to tie the game at 1-1.

CCNY (3-17) returned the favor in the next half inning, committing two errors of their own and the Beaver relief experiencing some control problems, issuing three straight walks, opening up a three run frame for the Bears. But CCNY wouldn't let St. Joseph's pull away, leading off the home half of the fourth with a single and a triple to plate two runs and remain within one.

Diaz roped a triple to left to start the fifth and came home on a Joseph Mendez (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) sacrifice fly and Jon Mendez (Brooklyn, NY/Xaverian) singled and stole second, and later scored on a Danny Zaretsky (Brooklyn, NY/Lincoln) double to push the lead back up to three. CCNY would match the Bears two runs again in the bottom of the fifth, to keep the game a one-run game, 6-5.

In the bottom of the seventh, starter Donny Pagano (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's) surrendered a leadoff hit and struck out the next batter, but facing the heart of the CCNY lineup, Coach Scott Losche handed the ball to Paul Piccirillo (Brooklyn, NY/Xaverian) to try to preserve the win. The Beavers scratched out the tying run on a single and a sacrifice fly to level the game 6-6.

The top of the eighth inning found the top of the St. Joe's lineup and despite a leadoff double by Boccia and two free passes to load the bases with two outs, the Bears couldn't bring anyone home.

CCNY took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the eighth, knocking five hits off Piccirillo scoring three runs which would end up the final margin, 9-6.

Boccia and Diaz each finished the game with two hits and an RBI, with Diaz scoring twice and Boccia once. Joe Mendez drove in two runs, recording his fifth multi-RBI game this season. Jon Mendez extended his hitting streak to seven, collecting a hit, two runs, two walks and two stolen bases.

Pagano went 6.1 innings allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits, while striking out five in the no decision. Piccirillo (1-3) suffered the loss for the Bears allowing three runs (all earned) on six hits in 1.2 innings.

St. Joseph's (3-12) returns to the diamond on Tuesday, April 5th, beginning a series of seven home dates at MCU Park. The Bears host United State Merchant Marine Academy for a single game with first pitch slated for 4 p.m.