Baseball Sweeps Valley Forge to Run Win Streak to Six

PHOENIXVILLE, Pa. – The St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) baseball team produced 28 runs and 24 hits over a 16-6, 12-5 doubleheader sweep of Valley Forge Christian College on Thursday afternoon.

The Bears (17-8) improve to a season-high nine games over .500 and their six-game win streak sits one shy of the program record.

Junior Thomas McKenna (Bellerose, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) led St. Joseph's at the dish batting 6-for-10 over the twinbill with six RBI, four runs scored, with two triples, a double and six stolen bases. Senior Joe Mendez (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell) moved into a tie for as the Bears all-time hits leader, batting 4-for-8 with a triple, four runs scored and a RBI.

On the hill, sophomore Sean O'Melia (Astoria, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) and freshman Anthony Amatuzzi (Staten Island, N.Y./Xaverian HS) each picked up their first wins of the season. O'Melia went five innings, allowing six runs (none earned) scattering four hits and striking out four. Amatuzzi collected his first collegiate win in his first collegiate start in game two, also working five innings allowing four runs (three earned), giving up five hits, while striking out five.

The Patriots (0-20) took an early lead in game one scoring four unearned runs in the opening frame. But the Bears would respond with eight runs in their next at bat, taking advantage of three miscues from the hosts that opened up the inning. Michael Camerada (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell) and Mike Cundari (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter's) both delivered two-run base knocks in the inning.

Valley Forge trailed by only two, 8-6, after two innings pushing two unearned runs across in the bottom of the second, but the Bears matched the Patriots with a pair of runs in the third and pulled away with three in the fourth, two in the sixth and a solo tally in the seventh.

After a leadoff walk issued by O'Melia in the third, he then retired the next nine batters and Nicholas Calamia (Port Jefferson, N.Y./Comsewogue) and Anthony Inserillo (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) followed with 1-2-3 innings in the sixth and seventh in relief to shut down the Patriots offense.

The nightcap saw both tied at 3-3 after one before a McKenna RBI single, Cundari sacrifice fly and Anthony Van Sise (Staten Island, N.Y./New Dorp) RBI double in the second pushed across three more runs to give the Bears the lead for good as St. Joseph's scored in every inning except for the fourth and the Patriots couldn't keep pace.

After surrendering four early runs, Amatuzzi pitched three near flawless innings before handing the ball over with a 9-4 cushion in the sixth to Mitch Brigando (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) and Calamia to close out the win.

McKenna highlighted a 4-for-4, three RBI game with a pair of triples in the third and fifth innings. In his first start as a position player, Van Sise went 2-for-3 with three RBI.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Other contributors: Michael Camerada (3-for-5, 5 RBI, 2 R), Michael Cundari (2-for-8, 4 RBI, 2 R, 2 SF), Domenic Camerada (1-for-4, 4 R, SB), Anthony Inserillo (1-2, 3 R, 5 SB), Francis Rapp (0-for-0, 4 R, 5 BB)
• Fourteen different Bears made a start in the field, with only McKenna, Mendez, Cundari and Cutrone starting both games.
• The Bears swiped a perfect 15-for-15 stolen bases over the twinbill.
• The Patriots were plagued by 13 errors over the doubleheader allowing 14 of the bears 28 runs score unearned.

THE BEAR FACTS

• Francis Rapp walked in all five plate appearances in game one, setting a new Bears record for walks.
• Anthony Inserillo's five stolen bases in game two set a new Bears record.
• Thomas McKenna's two triples in game two set a new Bears record.
• Seniors Joseph Mendez and Michael Cundari surpassed Joseph Boccia '12 for the all-time lead in games played (127). Mendez has started all 127 games and holds a one-game lead over Cundari for most games started.
• Mendez is tied with Kevin Diaz '13 atop the Bears all-time hits leaders with 158 hits.

NEXT UP FOR THE BEARS – VAUGHN

St. Joseph's concludes their busiest week of the season hosting Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference foes Vaughn College tomorrow at MCU Park in a doubleheader starting at noon.