Scranton Baseball Sweeps Non-Conference Twinbill

SCRANTON, Pa. — The University of Scranton took two games from New Platz in a non-conference doubleheader Monday afternoon at Connell Park.

Senior pitcher Tim Reiser (Marlborough, Conn./RHAM) moved to 3-0 on the season by holding the Hawks scoreless through the first six innings en route to a 7-2 victory in the opener. In the second game, the Royals overcame a 7-0 deficit to pull out a 9-8 victory. Junior pitcher Mike Sidlowski (New York, N.Y./Xavier) came on in relief of starter Charles Comprelli (Harrison, N.J./St. Peter’s Preparatory) in the third inning and held New Paltz to just two hits and one run in four innings to earn his first victory of the season. Junior pitcher Kyle Fox (Scranton, Pa./Bishop Hannan) earned his team-leading fifth save by getting designated hitter Michael Fasolo (Marcy, N.Y./Whitesboro) to strikeout with the tying run on third-base with two outs.

In the first game, the Royals broke a 0-0 tie in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single by senior Kevin Johnson (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) and Richard Raiani (West Caldwell, N.J./Seton Hall Preparatory), who walked, later scored on a wild pitch. Scranton added two more in the fifth, when freshman Chris Stallone (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) doubled and scored on a triple by Comprelli. Sophomore Chris Bligh (Jersey City, N.J./St. Peter’s Preparatory) followed with a double to knock in Comprelli.

Scranton added three more runs in the sixth. Stallone drove in two runs with a single and freshman David Giglio (Wallingford, Conn./Xavier) followed with a single to knock in Stallone, who stole third-base to get into scoring position.

New Paltz, which stranded 11 runners on base, spoiled Reiser’s bid for a shutout by pushing two runs across the plate in their final at-bat. Freshman Devin Scalabrini (Peekskill, N.Y./Mahopac) and senior Alex Cadmus (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay) each drove in a run and senior Kevin Paino (Poughkeespsie, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) led the Hawks with three hits, including a double, and junior Tyler Terlecky (Binghamton, N.Y./Binghamton) had two.

Reiser got plenty of help from his defense. In the first inning, Comprelli threw out a runner at home from left field and Raiani came up with a number of key plays at third-base when the Hawks had runners in scoring position.

In the second game, New Paltz scored six runs on five hits in the second inning to bolt out to a 7-0 lead. Terlecky hit a solo home run to start the second inning rally and senior Jesse Marsh (Marlboro, N.Y./Marlboro) drove in two runs with the bases-loaded with a double. The rally continued when Paino hit a three-run home run to left field.

The Royals answered by scoring eight runs on six hits in the third inning. Freshman Jon Psihoules (Washington Township, N.J./Westwood) drew a bases-loaded walk and sophomore Justin Champagne (Mt. Bethel, Pa./Bangor Area) followed with a single that drove in two more runs to cut the lead to 7-3. Bligh and Johnson followed with RBI singles and freshman Mike Martinelli (Norristown, Pa./LaSalle College), who finished with four hits, capped off the rally by driving in two runs with a single to right-center field.

After the Hawks tied it up on a sacrifice fly by freshman catcher Mike Rich (Elmira, N.Y./Southside) in the fourth, Scranton took the lead for good with an unearned run in the bottom half of the frame. Johnson drove in Champagne, who singled, with the game-winning run with two outs after the Hawks committed an error that allowed Champagne to advance to second-base.

In the seventh, Terlecky doubled down the left-field line and was pulled in favor of pinch-runner Dylan Franco (Croton on Hudson, N.Y./Croton Hudson). Fox then struck out Doug Chaputian (Sea Cliff, N.Y./North Shore) before senior Javier Lopez (Selden, N.Y./Newfield) hit a fly ball deep to center field that was caught by Stallone and advanced Franco to third-base. Fox then struck out Fasolo to end the game.

Champagne, Bligh and Johnson each finished with two hits apiece for Scranton, which will not play its regularly scheduled game against cross-town neighbor Marywood University tomorrow afternoon. The Pacers will make up a previously postponed Pennsylvania Athletic Conference game in its place. Junior Joel Judson (Whipdale, N.Y./Dover) led New Paltz, now 13-9, with three hits, including a triple.

The Royals, now 15-6, will open a three-game Landmark Conference series against Catholic University in Washington, DC, this Saturday, April 12. The two teams will play a 7-inning doubleheader Saturday, followed by a 9-inning single game Sunday. With 15 regular-season games remaining, Scranton is just five wins away from breaking the school-record of 19 set during the 1990 season. There are, however, several seasons where the Royals’ win-loss record is missing.