Lombardi’s Four-RBI Day Lifts Baseball to Series Split with SJC Long Island

PATCHOGUE, N.Y. — Louis Lombardi exploded for four RBI on Saturday as the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) baseball team (1-10) earned a split in Saturday's non-conference twin bill against SJC Long Island (3-5).

Lombardi drove in three runs in the first game, contributing to the Bears' 4-3 win over the Golden Eagles, their first triumph of 2021. The junior launched his first home run of the season in game two, however the hosts took the nightcap, 13-2.

Game 1: SJC Brooklyn 4, SJC Long Island 3

After a two-run first frame, starter Andrew Monda settled in to toss a trio of scoreless innings, allowing just four more hits and striking out two before leaving with a no decision.

The Bears' bats broke through in the fourth as a pair of hits and a fielder's choice loaded the bases for Lombardi. The junior found the left-center field gap and launched a bases-clearing double to put the Bears on top, 3-2.

The Golden Eagles drew the game level in the fifth on a two-out sac fly by Anthony Raucci.

In the sixth with Anthony Hernandez on second and Lucas Collet on first, the two successfully attempted a double steal with Hernandez scoring his second run of the game when the SJCLI catcher's throw got past the third baseman.

With the tying run in scoring position and the winning run on first, a potential walk-off victory was off the table, before  winning pitcher Matt McHugh (1-3) ended any hopes of a comeback, inducing Nicholas DiGirolamo to fly out to seal the 4-3 victory for the navy and gray.

Game 2: SJC Long Island 13, SJC Brooklyn 2

As was the case in the first game, the back end of the doubleheader began with a two-run first in favor of the hosts. A second-inning solo shot to left by Lombardi quickly brought the Bears to within a run.

The Golden Eagles extended their lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second and pushed their fifth of the game in the fourth. Long Island then plated six in the fifth stanza with Raucci driving in a pair of runs and scoring one.

A wild pitch in the sixth brought in pinch-runner Justin Biordi before Nick Corsaro's two-RBI single in the sixth capped off the Golden Eagles' 13-2 win to split Saturday's game with their sibling rivals from Clinton Hill.

Lombardi, credited with his first loss on the bump (0-1), went 1.1 innings. C.J. Bunnicelli tossed 2.2 innings in middle relief, striking out three. William DeLuca was the lone Bear with multiple hits in the second game.

Up Next

The Bears return to Patchogue on Saturday, April 10 as they will host Farmingdale State College to begin a four-game set with first pitch of game one scheduled for noon. Live stats and video will be available on SJCBears.com.