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Baseball Goes Undefeated in Season-Opening Doubleheader at Wesley

Baseball Goes Undefeated in Season-Opening Doubleheader at Wesley

DOVER, Del. — In their 2019 season opener, the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) baseball team (1-0-1) picked up a win in game one and followed with a game two tie in a doubleheader at Wesley College (0-3-1) on Saturday. The Bears used a five-run fifth inning to pick up an 8-4 win in game one and tied the hosts 5-5 as game two was called due to darkness.

Game 1: St. Joseph's 8, Wesley 4
The Wolverines struck first two batters into their first at-bat when Jason Boc knocked a double to left. But the hosts were plagued by three errors in the Bears next at-bat that allowed three runs to score on just one hit. Joseph Langan (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) led off the top of the second with a walk, advanced to second on a sacrifice, then to third on a wild pitch and scored on a throwing error to knot the game at 1-1.

Another walk and Wesley error put two runners on for Michael Gonzalez (Brooklyn, N.Y./Midwood) who doubled down the left field line for two RBI and a 3-1 SJC advantage after two. The Wolverines chipped away with a run in the third on a William Musser base knock, but the Bears held a one-run edge entering the fifth.

William DeLuca (Valley Stream, N.Y./Valley Stream Central) led off the fifth with a double and, after a strikeout, two-straight walks loaded the bases with one down. Two more walks were then followed by back-to-back hit batters giving the Bears four quick runs. They tacked on an RBI groundout as well pushing the score to 8-2 after four and a half innings.

Wesley tacked on a pair of scores in the bottom of the fifth, but they were held in check by SJC's pitching duo of Andrew Watters (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) (four IP, win) and J.J. McLaughlin (Elmont, N.Y./Sewanhaka) (three IP, save) as they picked up their third loss of the season.

Game 2: St. Joseph's 5, Wesley 5
Both sides went scoreless until the top inning number three when Anthony Palermo (Patchogue, N.Y./Sachem North) drove an RBI single up the middle to give the Bears a 1-0 lead. Wesley tied it up in the fourth after three-straight singles loaded the bases and a fielder's' choice tied the score at one after four.

Palermo launched a two-run homer in the top of the fifth and Musser drove in another run on a single in the bottom half as the Bears led a back-and-forth contest 3-2 going into the sixth.

Gonzalez drove in a run on a sac fly in the Bears' half of the sixth, but Wesley answered with three runs in the bottom after two wild pitches and an SJC error as they took their first lead of the game.

St. Joseph's drew a walk to open the second but had a runner caught stealing and the next batter struck out swinging to bring them an out away from splitting the twin-bill. DeLuca came to the plate next and, with two outs, drove a solo home-run to left tying it up at five. The game went one scoreless extra inning, but it was called as a tie due to darkness.

For the Bears

  • Senior Adam Schwartz (Staten Island, N.Y./Susan E. Wagner) went 3-for-6 on the day with two runs, an RBI, and a double.
  • Palermo was 3-for-4 in the two games with a team-high four RBI (two-run HR) while Gonzalez was right behind him driving in three.
  • DeLuca picked up three hits, two runs, and an RBI (solo HR).
  • Sophomore catcher Michael Ryan (Franklin Square, N.Y./Holy Trinity) notched a hit in both games and finished with an RBI and a walk.
  • Rookie outfielder Chris Zinser (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) scored three runs and secured his first-career hit in the victory.
  • Watters struck out seven over four innings giving up four hits (four BB) and three earned runs while McLaughlin tossed three scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts (three BB).
  • C.J. Bunnicelli (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell) started game two and gave up two runs on seven hits (two K) in 4.2 innings.

Next Up for the Bears
Another road test this time against Ramapo College at Diamond Nation in Flemington, N.J. next Saturday (Mar. 9) for a doubleheader beginning at noon.