Box Score Box Score

Garden City, N.Y. - The Adelphi University baseball team opened its defense of the 2011 Northeast-10 Conference Tournament crown with a 10-5 win over Mercy College in Monday's home opener at William J. Bonomo Field. The Panthers knocked 13 hits in the non-league game, seven of which were for extra bases. Adelphi scored five runs between the first two innings and tacked on another five in the fourth, which gave the Panthers enough room to close out the win and hold off the Mavericks' mini-rally in the top of the sixth inning.

Senior Craig Matteo and junior Anthony Zarrella each knocked three hits and drove in two runs for Adelphi, and sophomore John Campbell had two hits and scored twice. Junior pitcher Dillon McNamara started and went three innings on the hill, allowing no runs on two hits while striking out three. Junior Jimmy Milani picked up the win on the mound, throwing 2.2 innings with four strikeouts.

For Mercy, Vinny Orlando had three hits and two RBI, while Ken Post recorded two hits, a run and an RBI. Starting pitcher Tyler Savin took the loss for the Mavericks, allowing five runs (two earned) on six hits while striking out four. Relievers Bryan Greig, Chuck DeHart and Joe O'Neill combined to throw four innings of no-hit baseball to finish the game.

The Adelphi bats wasted no time heating up as senior Jamie Liebowitz plated the first two Adelphi runs with a long, two-run double over the centerfielder's head in the bottom of the first. The Panthers struck for three more in the second, starting with back-to-back RBI doubles to left by Campbell and Matteo. Zarrella followed with an RBI line drive single up the middle to give Adelphi an early 5-0 lead.

McNamara mowed down the first seven Mavericks he faced, but Post found the outfield grass to lead off the top of the third. Adelphi's right handed hurler would surrender another single to Giovanni Lasalandra, but McNamara quickly settled and finished out the third unscathed.

The Panthers put together a slugfest of a fourth inning, batting around and plating five runs on six hits. Campbell led off with a speedy bunt single, stole second and scored on Matteo's second double of the day. Senior Justin Farnum then blasted a triple off the top of the right centerfield wall and scored on a Zarrella single. Freshman Tyler Barrett brought Zarrella home with two bagger to the left center gap, and later came around on an RBI base hit by senior Lucas Romeo to cap the productive inning.

Mercy's bats sparked to life in the sixth as the Mavericks put together a big inning of their own. Five runs on three hits immediately got Mercy back in the ballgame thanks to a bases-loaded walk by John Casten and a two-run single from Orlando. The Mavericks would not strike again, however, and although Adelphi went hitless the rest of the way, the relief combo of Matt Abramowitz, Joe Lombardo and James McCormack slammed the door to give the Panthers their first win of the 2012 season.

The Panthers return to action tomorrow with another non-conference game against former East Coast Conference rival Dowling College at 2:45 p.m.