April 2, 2009

Box Score

Garden City, N.Y. - The Adelphi University baseball team extended its winning streak to eight games by defeating Mercy College, 7-4. With the victory, the Panthers improve to 14-5 overall record, 6-0 in East Coast Conference play, while the Mavericks drop to 7-7 overall record, 2-3 in league play.

Clutch two-out hitting opened the scoring for Adelphi in the bottom of the first. Senior Thomas Harper singled up the middle advancing senior Robert Paccione to second base with no outs. Harper and Paccione both moved up 90 feet on a double steal with one out. Mercy pitcher struck out the next Panther batter. Senior Ryan Boelsen stepped to the plate and delivered a base hit up the middle scoring Paccione and Harper giving Adelphi a 2-0 lead. The next batter, senior Billy Neubauer singled to right center that brought home Boelsen from second to increase the Panther lead to 3-0.

The first three Mercy hitters reached base in the top of the third. Panthers starting pitcher freshman Michael Carletti limited the damage as he got senior Chris Pannullo to ground in a fielder's choice that scored sophomore Michael Ferrante for Mercy's first run of the afternoon. The Panther defense backed up Carletti, as the next Maverick hitter junior Michael Grassano hit into a double-play that ended the inning.

Mercy would get its lead-off man on in the top of the fourth, however, the next batter junior Marc Dern grounded into a double-play. The Panthers capitalized in the bottom of the fifth, by scoring four runs to increase its margin, 7-1. Five consecutive Adelphi batters reached base with one out in the bottom of the fifth. Freshman pinch-hitter T.J. Humrich singled the middle, followed by a Melillo double down the right field line moving Humrich to third. Mercy's starting pitcher junior Steve Merslich intentionally walked Boelsen setting up Neubauer with the bases jacked.

Neubauer made Merslich pay as he crushed the ball down the left field lines for a bases clearing double adding to the Panthers lead to 6-1. Neubauer finished the afternoon 2-for-4, with 4 RBI's. With Neubauer on second and one out, junior Chris Weidlein singled to left as Neubauer scored the Panthers final run of the game The Mavericks did not go away as they had the bases loaded with one out in the top of the seventh. Sophomore Matt Walsh singled to center, scoring senior Ken Mundy. Freshman Thomas Donohue relived Carletti, and after striking out Pannullo for the second out, Grassano singled cutting the deficit to three runs, 7-4. Junior pitcher Teddy Rohrs came in for Donohue and struck out junior Kenny Tyson to end the Mavericks' threat.

In the top of the ninth, senior pitcher Jake Potters checked into the game and after surrendering a lead-off walk to sophomore Matt Walsh, Potters struck out Pannullo swinging and Grassano lined into a game ending double-play to secure the victory for the Panthers.

Carletti picked up his first collegiate victory as Potters earned the save. Merslich took the loss for the Mavericks.

The Panthers will resume action when they travel to Bronxville, New York to play Concordia on Saturday, April, 4 at 12:00 p.m. for a double-header.