Garden City, N.Y. - The Adelphi University baseball team played two one-run games against University of New Haven on Saturday, and split the first two of a four-game weekend series at William J. Bonomo Memorial Field.
Game 1: Adelphi 6, New Haven 5
While New Haven led 2-0 at the onset, Adelphi (17-9-1, 8-4 NE10) answered in the third with a four-spot.
The offense got going at the plate, with nine hitters stepping into the box. As the line-up turned over,
Matt Alifano laced a two-out, two-RBI double to left that put the Panthers ahead 4-2.
UNH wouldn't go away and closed the gap to 4-3, before two key insurance runs came across for the hosts in the seventh.
The Chargers again cut into the deficit and made it a 6-5 game late, but defense flashed the leather when it mattered most.
In the top of the ninth,
Jack Wishner and
Anthony Cipri both made diving stops to rob UNH of base hits.
Nicolas Luc put the finishing touches on his first career save.
John Rizzo was immaculate on the hill in his start. He went seven innings and allowed only three runs and one walk with two strrikeouts.
Game 2: Adelphi 8, New Haven 9
In a wild finish to the seven-inning contest, the Panthers -- despite trailing 9-4 entering their final turn at-bat -- would bring the winning run to the plate.
A misfire to first base on what should have been a game-ending strikeout caused the inning to unravel for the Chargers.
With a free baserunner and two outs,
Alex Rende walked and
Cooper Johnson followed with an RBI single that closed the gap to 9-6.
After Rende came home on a throwing error, Wishner lined a single through the left side to score Johnson, making it 9-8.
That set the stage for Alifano, who drew a hitter's count at 2-0, and lifted a ball to center that was squeezed by UNH centerfielder Robert Taylor to end the game.
The rally didn't mask the performance of
Michael Draskin. Draskin became the first Adelphi player to homer three times in a game since
Lawrence Cicileo accomplished the feat against Pace on Apr. 11, 2018.
The series wraps up between the Panthers and Chargers tomorrow (Apr. 16), with a now 10 a.m. start from William J. Bonomo Memorial Field in Garden City.
