Baseball Drops Two to Staten Island

STATEN ISLAND, NY – After winning three straight games, St. Joseph's baseball team has now lost three straight falling in both ends of a doubleheader to Staten Island, 11-4 and 9-2.  The Bears fell behind early in both games and were unable to catch-up as the Dolphins doubled up their record to 6-3.

St. Joseph's spotted starter Elvis Diaz (Brooklyn, NY/Christ The King) two runs in the top of the first inning of game one.  Mike Cundari (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's) doubled home Thomas McKenna (Bellerose, NY/St. Francis Prep) to plate the first run and an error allowed the second run of the inning to score.   The Dolphins got one of the runs back in the bottom half of the inning, as Bryan Moreno scored on a wild pitch.

Staten Island starter Mike Van Pelt settled down after the two-run first allowing just four hits and two runs over his next four innings, but it was the Dolphin offense that put the game out of reach.  The Dolphins scored seven runs in the second inning, taking an 8-2 lead and not looking back.  Luis Ortiz drove home two with a two-RBI single and Frank Smith capped the seven-run inning with a single to center to score the final run.

The Bears cut the lead in half in the top of the fourth inning scoring two runs, but Staten Island got them right back with RBI singles by Sal Todaro and Will Difede to push the lead back to six.

Eight of Staten Island's nine starters picked up an RBI in game one with Ortiz leading the way with two.  Moreno and Smith each picked up two hits and Moreno scored a game-high three runs.  Todaro reached based in all four plate appearances, walking three times and singling. 

In game two the Bears again had trouble in the second inning as Staten Island scored eight runs of their nine runs in the inning.  The Dolphins collected seven hits in the inning, sending 12 men to the plate.  Difede kicked the scoring off with a two-RBI double to left field.  Francis Torres, George Kantzian and Todaro each followed with RBI singles and Difede picked up his third RBI of the inning with a single to plate the eighth run.

Dolphin starter Chris Matusiewicz was in control from the outset, not allowing a hit until the third inning.  Matusiewicz pitched six innings allowing five hits and giving up two runs.

 The Bears finally got on the scoreboard in the fifth inning with an RBI single by McKenna, his fourth hit of the doubleheader.  They added another run the following inning with Joseph Mendez (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) scoring on a single from Rob Mongiori (Jackson Heights, NY/Monsignor McClancy). 

The Bears have a quick turnaround, traveling to Throggs Neck for a doubleheader with Maritime tomorrow, Saturday, March 11th starting at 12:00 pm.