Baseball Wraps Up Virginia Trip with Doubleheader at Mary Washington

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — The St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) baseball team wrapped up their opening week with their second doubleheader at Mary Washington in three days on Sunday afternoon. The Bears vastly turned things around from the first meeting in which they were outscored 34-5 on the day and instead cut the run differential to 9-3 on Sunday.

The Basics

• Final Score (Game 1): Mary Washington 4, St. Joseph's 3
• Final Score (Game 2): Mary Washington 5, St. Joseph's 0
• Records: Mary Washington (9-6), St. Joseph's (0-7)
• Location: Fredericksburg, Va.

How It Happened (Game 1)
SJC Starters: Acosta (CF), Palermo (3B), Schwartz (SS), Ryan (C), Gonzalez (DH), Reyes (RF), Langan (1B), DeLuca (LF), Trudden (2B); Egan (P)

• Ramsis Ruiz opened the bottom of the first by reaching via error and went on to steal second. The next batter, Stephen Johnston, found his stroke roping a double to left field to drive in Ruiz and Mary Washington would hold a 1-0 lead after one.
• Matthew Trudden (Broad Channel, N.Y./Christ the King) and Justus Acosta (Little Neck, N.Y./Holy Cross) led off the top of the third for the Bears with back-to-back singles and second-hitter Anthony Palermo (Patchogue, N.Y./Sachem North) continued the momentum with a two-run double to left field. Sophomore Michael Gonzalez (Brooklyn, N.Y./Midwood) came up big with two outs and drove Palermo in on a single for a 3-1 SJC lead.
• The fourth inning was scoreless but the hosts cut the deficit to one in the fifth with three singles resulting in a run. St. Joseph's held the slim lead into the bottom of the seventh, but Mark Smith led off with a triple and was subsequently driven in by Ruiz to tie the game. Another single and intentional walk loaded the bases, but Mary Washington was able to walk off with the win on another base-on-balls.

How It Happened (Game 2)
SJC Starters: Acosta (CF), Palermo (1B), Schwartz (3B), Gonzalez (2B), Reyes (RF), DeLuca (C), Esposito (DH), Pellegrino (LF), Trudden (SS); Juliano (P)

• The Bears had men on first and second with one out in the top of the first, but a double-play got the hosts out of the jam. SJC threatened once again in the second loading the bases with one down, but a batter's interference and fly-out squashed the momentum.
• Ruiz tripled to lead off the bottom of the fourth and was then driven in on a single as Mary Washington held a 1-0 lead after four full. SJC came close all game having runners at first and third with two outs in the top of the fifth, but the UMW came up with a strikeout to keep the Bears scoreless.
• A passed ball and groundout RBI resulted in two more Mary Washington runs in the bottom of the fifth. Then, in the sixth, back-to-back walks followed by a two-run triple all but sealed the sweep and the Eagles came away with a 5-0 win.

For the Bears

• Acosta, the leadoff hitter, went 3-for-7 on the day with a run scored and stolen base while Palermo, the two-hitter, posted a 1-for-4 with a run and two RBI in game one.
• Junior Adam Schwartz (Staten Island, N.Y./Susan Wagner) had three of SJC's eight hits in game two (3-for-3) as well as a walk.
• Right-hander Daniel Egan (Valley Stream, N.Y./Valley Stream Central) had a strong start in game one (6 IP, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K) while freshman Michael Bode (Ozone Park, N.Y./Cathedral Prep) was solid in relief in game two (0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 K).

Next Up for the Bears

• A trip to Radnor, Pennsylvania to battle Cabrini in a doubleheader next Saturday (Mar. 17) with first pitches of 12 and 3 p.m.