Decoursey's Grand Slam Lifts Baseball to Season-Opening Split with #1 Cortland

Patchogue, NY| The St. Joseph's College (L.I.) baseball team opened the season with a non-conference split with #1 SUNY Cortland at Gregg Alfano Field on Saturday afternoon.

The Golden Eagles start the season at 1-1 after they came back from a four-run deficit to claim an 11-9 victory in game one before falling to the Red Dragons, who now sit at 7-2 overall, 9-3 in game two.

Game One: SJC 11, Cortland 9

The Golden Eagles struck first with four runs in the opening frame capped by a two-run double to the right-center gap from Nick Vicino (1-for-2, 2RBI, R). A couple of scoreless innings followed before Cortland scratched a run across in the top of the fourth.

The Red Dragons went on to load the bases in the top of the fifth to set up a grand slam from Dan Coleman putting the visitors ahead 5-4. An SJC miscue put a runner on with two outs allowing Adam Mieczkowski to homer to left extending the Red Dragons lead to three, 7-4.

After Cortland tacked on another run in the top half of the eighth SJC started the bottom of the inning with an infield single from Charles Rainone (1-for-3, R), a double from Joe Sanguedolce (1-for-4, 2R), and Vicino walk loaded the bases for John Lynch (R, RBI) who was hit by a pitch allowing pinch-runner James McAleavy (R) to score.  Two batters later, Phil Krpata (1-for-3, 2RBI, 2R) doubled in two runs bringing the Golden Eagles to within one, 8-7. Following a pitching change, Paul Gugliuzzo (2-for-3, 2R) was intentionally walked loading the bases for Ryan Decoursey (1-for-5, 4RBI, R) who launched a grand slam over the leftfield fence putting St. Joseph's ahead 11-8.

Cortland pushed a run across in the top of the ninth but Mike Manzolillo managed to get out of the inning without allowing further damage to pick up his first save of the season.

SJC's Kevin Czeczotka started on the mound allowing seven runs, four earned, with five strikeouts in 4.2 innings before giving way to Kevin Yohe who retired the only batter he faced. Anthony Cinquemani came out of the pen and allowed just two runs on two hits and earned the win.

Cortland reliever Matt Funk surrendered four runs on two hits and was tagged with the loss.

SJC 3, Cortland 9

The Red Dragons were first to score in game two with a three-run second inning followed by a pair of runs in the top of the third. They extended their lead to nine in the fifth courtesy of four runs on four hits.

Sanguedolce (2-for-4, R) singled to start the bottom half of the fifth and came into score when Gugliuzzo (0-for 2, 2RBI) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded later in the inning.

A couple of based loaded walks in the bottom of the seventh produced two runs for the Golden Eagles, but they ultimately fell short 9-3.

Cortland's Will McCarthy picked up the win going six innings and allowing just one run on four hits with a pair of strikeouts.

SJC's Ryan Foran suffered the loss allowing five runs on seven hits with three K's in four innings of work.

The Golden Eagles return to Gregg Alfano Field on Sunday, March 6 when they host Ramapo College.