New Haven, Conn. - A raking offense led the Adelphi University baseball team to a 5-0 victory over the Southern Connecticut State University Owls on Tuesday afternoon, giving the Panthers a series win against their divisional foes this season.
The Northeast-10 Southwest contest marked Adelphi's final road game of the regular season, and the Panthers (24-16-1, 12-8 NE10) pounded out 17 hits over the course of nine innings to seal their fourth victory in their last five divisional games, and third in four games against SCSU this year.
The Brown and Gold went 17-for-39 (.436) overall at the plate, and saw four players have at least two hits. Brandon Morse had a perfect game at the dish, going 4-for-4 with an RBI and one run scored, while Steven Withers was right behind Morse, going 4-for-5 while also driving in two in the leadoff spot.
Lawrence Cicileo and Thomas Colombo combined to go for 5-for-8 with three runs scored, while Tyler Becker's third-inning single extended his hitting streak to a season-best 20 games.
Things started slow for both teams, as they held each other scoreless for the first inning. In the next frame, an RBI single off the bat of Colombo put one on the board for the visitors, and two batters later, Morse posted his first hit of the day, roping an RBI triple to give Adelphi a 2-0 lead.
The scoreboard remained for the next four innings, as both teams went scoreless until the seventh. Daniel Taggart started on the hill for the Panthers, pitching six complete innings of two-hit ball before being relieved by Tom Ambrosino.
Taggart fanned six batters, while his sophomore reliever allowed just one hit in three innings, holding the Owls (19-22, 2-13 NE10) scoreless.
Colombo's single to lead off in the seventh started a chain of three straight singles, and Adelphi scored two in the inning after having the bases loaded. Jack Ryan's double play groundout to the shortstop allowed Colombo to cross home plate, giving Adelphi a 3-0 advantage, and in the next at-bat, Withers ripped a single to center field to tally the Panthers' fourth run.
Withers later extended Adelphi's lead to five, roping his the final RBI of the contest to drive home Morse from third in the ninth.
The Brown and Gold will return to William J. Bonomo Field this weekend for a series with the University of New Haven. The first of three games is scheduled for Friday at 3:30 p.m.
About Adelphi Athletics
Adelphi University joined the Northeast-10 Conference in the fall of 2009, and in the past eight seasons, has collected 26 regular season conference titles, 28 tournament championships, 37 individual crowns and captured the Northeast-10 Presidents' Cup four times (2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017), while winning six NCAA Division II National Championships.
For the latest on Adelphi University Athletics, follow the Panthers at www.aupanthers.com or via social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Snapchat.
