Bears Win in Extras, Split Doubleheader with Centenary

FLEMINGTON, NJ – Seven innings wasn't enough to field a winner in game one of St. Joseph's baseball doubleheader with Centenary, but the Bears prevailed plating a run in the top half of the eighth to earn the 8-7 victory in game one.  Game two was a different story, as the Bears fell behind early and weren't able to rally as they came up short, 13-2.  The split keeps the Bears record at .500 at 4-4.

The Cyclones jumped on top of Bears starter Paul Piccirillo (Brooklyn, NY/Xavierian) with three runs in the first inning, two coming in on a two-out, two-RBI single by Sean Hunter.  St. Joseph's didn't manage a hit until the third inning when the offense started to click with four runs on three hits.  Steven Ellis (Broad Channel, NY/St. Francis Prep) got things started reaching on a throwing error and Jeff Bonowicz (Whitestone, NY/Holy Cross) followed with a walk to put runners on first and second with nobody out.  After Vinny Rossi (Bayside, NY/Holy Cross) laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners over, Thomas McKenna (Bellerose, NY/St. Francis Prep) belted his first collegiate home run to tie the game at three apiece.  The Bears weren't done, and took the lead after Kevin Diaz (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) doubled to left center to bring home Chris Cutrone (Levittown, NY/Island Trees, HS), who reached on an infield single.

Centenary tied the game in bottom of the fourth when a two-out double by Anthony DeSomma brought home Joe Forcellini, but the Bears took the lead right back in the next half inning.  Diaz again went to left center, this time for a triple, to bring home Cutrone and later scored on a throwing error by the catcher after a strikeout in the dirt.  The Bears took advantage of four Cyclones errors scoring three unearned runs.

Rossi extended the Bears lead with an RBI single to right to score Ellis and put the Bears up 7-4 heading into the bottom of the sixth.  But Centenary roared back in the bottom half of the sixth with three doubles and a hit by pitch to even the score at seven-all.  Matt Brigando (Brooklyn, NY/St. Edmund Prep) entered with one out and the go-ahead runner on second base but retired the next two batters to keep the game tied.

Neither team was able to score in the seventh, so the game headed to extra innings.  After the Cyclones got two quick outs, Rossi kept the inning alive with his second hit, a single to center.  Kenny Smith (Belle Harbor, NY/Monsignor McClancy) came on to pinch run and stole second which prompted Centenary to intentionally walk McKenna to keep the force play on.  St. Joseph's sent out Thomas Decapua (Brooklyn, NY/St. Edmund Prep) to pinch run for pinch-runner Smith at second base and he scored the go-ahead run off of the Cyclones forth error of the game.  Chris Vargas (Brooklyn, NY/Nazareth Regional) came in for the save opportunity and got the first two out, but walked the next two hitters before getting the fifth batter of the inning on a pop-up to third to collect his first career save and give Brigando his first career win.

Game two saw St. Joseph's jump on ahead early on a two-out solo home-run from Mike Cundari (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's), his first of the season, but the lead was short-lived as Centenary plated four runs in the bottom half of the frame and never looked back.  Three of the four runs came on the strength of a Victor Nunez home run, one of three home runs for the Cyclones in the nightcap.

The Bears were able to pull the game to within two when McKenna doubled down the left field lead in the top of the fourth to score Ellis, but the Cyclones countered with three more runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 7-2 lead.  Centenary put the game away for good with a six run sixth inning, capped off with a three-run homer off the bat of Randy Castillo.

McKenna led the Bears offense with three hits and four RBI in the twin bill.  Rossi chipped in with three hits and an RBI and Diaz picked up two hits, two RBI and a run scored. 

Cyclones started Chris Sisco earned the win in game two going four innings allowing two runs on six hits while striking out seven.  DeSomma went a combined 5-for-7 with five runs scored and two RBI in the two games and Castillo went 3-for-6 with a run scored and four RBI.

The Bears are off until next weekend when they travel to Staten Island for a doubleheader with the College of Staten Island on Saturday, March 10th starting at 12:00 pm.