Lombardi's Three-Run Shot Sparks Baseball's Comeback Bid, Falls to NYU Late

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Behind a three-run home run off the bat of Louis Lombardi (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) and a two-RBI single from Anthony Hernandez (Selden, N.Y./Newfield), the St. Joseph's University Brooklyn baseball team used a seven-run eighth inning to turn a 7-1 deficit to an 8-7 lead against New York University on Wednesday night. However, the Violets (19-13) plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth to win the non-conference matchup, 9-8.

With the defeat, the Bears end their season at 9-28 overall.

How it Happened

Grant Berman opened the hosts' scoring account with a homer to left-center in the first, the first of three NYU home runs on the night. The catcher's RBI double began the Violets' four-run third inning, taking a 5-0 lead going into the fourth.

With the Bears' two lead-off bats reaching base to begin the top of the fourth, Michael Gardener (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale) doubled down the left-field line to score their first run of the contest.

An inside-the-park home run in the sixth and a shot over the left-field wall in the seventh saw the NYU lead grow to 7-1.

Chris Leary (Floral Park, N.Y./Floral Park Memorial) worked a bases-loaded walk to begin the scoring for the navy and gray in the eighth. Kevin Reyes (Bronx, N.Y./AECI) and Mike Medina Jr. (Selden, N.Y./Newfield) scored on Hernandez's single. Leary, who advanced to third on the base knock, scored on a wild pitch to trim their deficit to two, 7-5.

Gardener singled to set up Lombardi who belted the first pitch of the at-bat over the wall in left-center to give St. Joseph's an 8-7 lead. 

The scoreline remained in the Bears' favor going into the bottom of the ninth. Cam Dunn tagged up from third on Nate Pallotta's sacrifice fly to tie the game. With two down later on in the frame, the Violets scored their game-winning run on a fielding error; concluding their home slate and the Bears' 2022 season.

Highlight

BASE (Highlight) | Lombardi’s 3-run HR capped off a 7-run 8th and put @sjcbearsbasebl ahead after trailing NYU, 7-1 #BearWitnessSJC #SJCNY #d3baseball pic.twitter.com/DfBG24hzfo

— St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) Bears (@SJCBears) May 5, 2022

For the Bears

• Lombardi finished 2-for-4 with his third-career homer.
• Gardener went 2-for-5 with a double, a pair of RBI, and a run scored.
• Hernandez's single saw him end the night 1-for-5, scoring a run.
• Leary scored three times and drove a run, going 1-for-3.
• Abner Victor (San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic/John Adams) doubled as he went 1-for-3 with a run scored.
• Starter Matt McHugh (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip) and Andrew Monda (Centereach, N.Y./Newfield) each went three innings and struck out two.
• Sean Henris (Commack, N.Y./Commack) struck out a batter and allowed an earned run in 1.2 innings. The junior was dealt the loss.