Baseball Splits Doubleheader with St. Lawrence, 6-5, 10-9, in Gene Cusic Classic

Written by Joshua Soto (SJC-LI Sports Information)

Ft. Myers, FL | The St. Joseph's College (L.I.) baseball team split the twinbill, in walk-off fashion, against the St. Lawrence Saints, 6-5 and 10-9, at the Gene Cusic Classic in Ft. Myers, FL. The Golden Eagles are now 3-2 to start the season, while the Saints fall to 1-2.

Game 1

St. Lawrence 6 SJC 5

The Golden Eagles pushed across a run early in the first inning when Paul Britt grounded out to drive in Matt Burnett. In the top of the second, Tyler Costa plated Tyler Crafa with an RBI single, Costa then scored courtesy of a single by Burnett to put the Golden Eagles ahead 3-0.

The Saints answered back in the bottom of the third when Taylor Digillo scored on a wild pitch and Brendon Frank singled to left field to drive in Adam Reichel to cut their deficit to one. St. Lawrence tied the game (3-3) when Anthony Butler doubled to center field to drive in Mic Regan.

With the bases loaded in the top of the fourth, Costa drew a walk for his second RBI of the contest and the Golden Eagles extended their lead, 5-3, when Louis Fontinha hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Crafa.

The Saints continued to battle back with SJC retying the game, 5-5, in the bottom of the fifth when Frank scored on a passed ball and Butler tagged up on a Tyler Guido fly ball.

In the final inning of play, Frank blasted a double to left field to bring Butler to the plate, in an effort to move him over Butler bunted a ball to Crafa who misplayed a ball an allowed Frank to seal the 6-5 victory for St. Lawrence.

Josh Outsen started the game for the Golden Eagles pitching four innings, striking out four batters and allowing three run.  

Sean Balsam went 2-for-3 in the game and scored a run, Costa drove in two run and scored one on the afternoon.

Game 2

SJC 10 St. Lawrence 9  

The Golden Eagles took Sunday's nightcap with the Saints in dramatic fashion with a 10-9 walk-off victory.

Tied at nine in the bottom of the seventh, Daniel Campanelli was called to pinch hit with the bases loaded when he singled up the middle to plate Britt for the walk-off win.

The Saints took an early lead in the top of the first when Devin Robson singled to center to plate Digllio. St. Lawrence continued with the hot bat pushing across four more runs in the inning and two more in the second to hold a 7-0 lead.

SJC cut its deficit by three (7-4) when Britt, Lou Doria, and Sanderson doubled into the gap and later scored in the bottom of the third.

After back-to-back single run innings by the Saints in the fourth and fifth, Gehrig Montoro hit an RBI singled up the middle, in the bottom of the 6th, to try and keep the Golden Eagles in the game.

In the game's final inning, Crafa was able to work a walk to pull SJC within three (9-6) and back-to-back bases-loaded singles by Britt and Montoro knotted the game for Campanelli who plated the winning run.

The Golden Eagles had 15 hits in the game as Britt collected four hits in the game. Montoro led the team with three runs batted in and went 2-for-3 on the day. SJC tore up the base paths, as two players stole at least two bases and Crafa led the way with two.

The Golden Eagles will continue to play in the Gene Cusiac Classic taking on Plymouth St. in a twin-bill on March 20 at 9 AM.