HOBOKEN, N.J. – The St. John Fisher College baseball team split a pair of games on Sunday as the Cardinals defeated host Stevens Institute of Technology in the opening game before falling in the nightcap at Dobbelaar Field. With the outcomes, Fisher moved to 11-7 on the season and 3-2 in the Empire 8 while the Ducks climbed to 9-11 overall and 6-2 in the conference standings.
FISHER 10, STEVENS 9 (Nine Innings)
The Cardinals fell behind in the first inning after the Ducks banged a two-run home run to right center, but the lead would be erased in the top of the third frame when
Ryan Brown doubled in a run before scoring on a wild pitch to level the contest at 2-2.
In the home half of the third, Stevens reclaimed the advantage after a leadoff walk came around to score on a single through the right side.
Trailing 3-2 in the top of the fourth, Fisher fired back with four runs on five hits and three errors to open up a three-run edge, 6-3.
Thomas Pasquale led off the inning with an opposite field single and moved to second when
Allen Murphy followed with an infield single.
Antony Mantova drove in a run with a ground-rule double before
Ryan Simmons singled in another run with a single to the shortstop. The inning continued as
Sean Harris reached on a fielding error by the Ducks' pitcher while Brown doubled down the right field line to score Mantova before Stevens retired the side.
The Cardinals would tack on a run in the top of the fifth as Simmons drove in a run, but the Ducks roared back four runs on just two hits in the home half of the fifth to tie the game at 7-7.
After holding Fisher at bay in the top of the sixth, the Ducks took the lead again as the home team came up with a two-run single to hold a 9-7 advantage.
Down by two runs in the late innings, Murphy put the team on his back as the Richburg native cracked his team-leading seventh home run of the season to knot the score at nine runs apiece.
The game remained even until the top of the ninth when
Michael Beimel got the inning going with a walk before moving into scoring position when Pasquale singled. With two on and no outs, both runners moved up a bag following a balk while Murphy was intentionally walked to load the bases. With no outs and no room on base, Mantova was credited with an RBI after the Ducks' centerfielder misplayed a fly ball, but that was all the Cardinals would manage as Stevens struck out the next two hitters before inducing a pop out to the pitcher to escape the jam.
Trailing by one run with three outs left, the Ducks would go down in order as the Cardinals held on for the one-run decision.
RJ Kuruts started for head coach
Brandon Potter, but did not play a role in the decision as the sophomore pitched 4.1 innings and allowed six runs (four earned) on six hits.
Tim Geissel was tagged for three runs in an inning while
Jack Delaney gave up one hit over two-thirds of a frame.
Anthony Brophy (1-0) earned the win in relief after allowing just one hit over three scoreless innings.
STEVENS 7, FISHER 3
In the nightcap, Stevens' bats came to life early as the Ducks plated four runs in the bottom of the first on four hits and a Fisher error.
The Cardinals would cut the deficit in half in the top of the third as Pasquale mashed a two-run homer, but the Ducks answered back in the fourth with two more runs on three hits and one run in the fifth to open up a 7-2 edge.
Down by five, Fisher plated one run in the top of the seventh as
Andrew Czubaj doubled to center to score
Stephen Edgett, but that was as close as the visitors would get as the Ducks closed out the game with an inning-ending double play.
Murphy took the ball to start and was hit with his second loss of the season (2-2) after the junior yielded four runs (three earned) over three innings.
Jim Dawson was hit with three runs on five hits in a 1.1 innings of work while
Kyle Chambers pitched the final five outs with four coming via strikes.
The Cardinals will look to right the ship at 4 p.m. on Wednesday when they host The College at Brockport in a nine-inning affair at Dugan Yad.
