Baseball Squanders Early Lead at Wesleyan (Conn.)

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. — In a return to non-conference play, the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) baseball team (15-20-1) traveled to Wesleyan University (Conn.) and fell 9-3 despite a 3-for-3 night from Adam Schwartz (Staten Island, N.Y./Susan E. Wagner) and a pair of RBI off the bat of Anthony Palermo (Patchogue, N.Y./Sachem North).

The Cardinals (15-15) were down 2-0 early but clawed back using a three-run sixth inning to pull away and pick up the home victory.

How It Happened

Rookie Chris Zinser (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) singled to lead off the game and Schwartz followed with a double to set up a two-run two-bagger from Palermo giving the Bears a 2-0 lead before they recorded an out.

Wesleyan answered in the bottom of the second as Jake Alonzo ripped a two-run double of his own to tie things up at two. The Bears were then held scoreless in the third and the fourth while WU tacked on a run in each of those frames to take a 4-2 lead.

William DeLuca (Valley Stream, N.Y./Valley Stream Central) reached on an error in the fifth that scored Schwartz to bring the Bears within one (4-3). However, Wesleyan plated a trio of runs in the sixth on Andrew Keith and Wes Fritch RBI singles and a steal of home from Alex Cappitelli to put the game away and even their record at .500.

For the Bears

• Schwartz (3-for-3) scored two runs with a double and steal while Zinser went 2-for-5 with a run scored.
• Rookie Louis Lombardi (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) was 1-for-3 with a double.
• Michael Ryan (Franklin Square, N.Y./Holy Trinity) and Joseph Langan (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) were both 1-for-4 each knocking a single.
• C.J. Bunnicelli (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell) got the start for the Bears going four innings and giving up four runs on five hits with a pair of strikeouts.