Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Mike Ionta (Westfield, N.J./Westfield) broke a 3-all tie with a two-run double in the fifth to propel Saint Peter's past Canisius 6-4 in the opening game of a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) three-game baseball series on Saturday. The Golden Griffins (15-20, 7-4 MAAC) came back to down the Peacocks (4-19-1, 3-5 MAAC) 8-3 in the nightcap.
With the game tied at 3, Ionta smacked a line-drive double down the right field line to score the go-ahead runs. Saint Peter's then added a run for a 6-3 lead. Canisius came back with a run in the seventh, but left the bases loaded to end the inning. The Golden Griffins then had two runners on with two outs in the ninth and MAAC Preseason Player of the Year Connor Panas, who hit a two-run homer in the first, at the plate only to see Panas grounded out to end the game.
Rob Moore (Ridge, N.Y./Longwood) posted three hits, three runs scored and two RBIs, including a two-run homer in the nightcap. Zach Rawson (Ashburn, Va./Broad Run) added three hits, two runs scored and an RBI while Vinny Maietta (Franklin Square, N.J./St. Mary) smacked a key pinch-hit two-run double in the fourth of the opener.
Jake Lumney powered Canisius with five hits, a run scored and an RBI while Ryan Stekl added three hits and an RBI and Anthony Massicci posted two hits, two RBIs and a run scored on the afternoon.
In the opener, Saint Peter's rallied from a three-run deficit to earn a 6-4 victory.
Trailing 3-0, the Peacocks scored twice in the fourth to trim the margin to 3-2. Rawson and Ionta each reached on fielder's choices before Sean Henry (Brick, N.J./Brick Township) struck out, but reached on a wild pitch to load the bases. Maietta then pinch-hit and came through with an opposite field double down the right field line to make it a one-run game.
Aided by three Golden Griffins' errors, Saint Peter's scored four times in the fifth to take a 6-3 advantage.
Moore opened the inning with a double to right field. With one out, Moore scored when Chris Hugg (Ironia, N.J./Randolph) reached on an error to tie the game at 3. Hugg moved to second on a failed pickoff before Rawson singled to center to put runners at the corners with one out. After Rawson moved to second on a passed ball, Nick Henriquez (Paramus, N.J./Parmus) walked to load the bases. Ionta then smacked a two-run double down the left field line to score Hugg and Rawson for a 5-3 lead. Henry then hit a fly ball that was dropped by the center fielder to score Angel Perez (Bayonne, N.J./Marist HS), who was pinch running for Henriquez, to increase the advantage to three runs.
Canisius scored a run in the seventh on a Lumley RBI single through the right side to trim the margin to 6-4, but left the bases loaded for the third time in the game.
Anthony Assante (Brick, N.Y./Brick Memorial) came in to record the final six outs for his second save of the season. Jack Massa singled with one out and Lumley singled with two outs to put the tying run on first, but a ground out ended the game and gave the Peacocks the victory.
The Golden Griffins scored three times in the first to jump out to a 3-0 lead thanks to a Panas two-run homer and a Brett Sidall RBI single, but the Peacocks scored six of the final seven runs to earn the come-from-behind victory.
Mike Doran (Ashbury, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep) pitched 2.1 innings in relief to pick up his first win in a Saint Peter's uniform.
In the nightcap, Canisius rallied from a two-run deficit to earn an 8-3 win to earn a split and set up the rubber game matchup on Sunday.
Just like in the opener, a team hit a two-run homer to get the scoring started only this time it was the Peacocks.
Nick Ciocco (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill) reached on an error to open the bottom of the first before Moore launched a two-run homer over the right field fence for a 2-0 lead.
The Golden Griffins tied the game in the second at 2 with two runs thanks to a Massicci RBI single before John Conti stole home while Massicci got caught in a rundown before retreating back to first to account for the second run.
Canisius then took the lead for good on run-scoring singles by Stekl and Siddall for a 4-2 advantage in the third.
Saint Peter's posted a run in the fourth to trim the margin to 4-3. Moore and Hugg started the stanza with singles to right field. After the runners were moved over on a bunt, Rawson plated Moore on a grounder to shortstop that probably would have been ruled a base hit, but Hugg was out after getting into a run down between second and third to end what could have been a bigger inning.
The Golden Griffins answered right back with two runs in the fifth to take a 6-3 margin thanks to a bases loaded walk by Adam Tricarico and a Massicci sacrifice fly.
Alex O'Donnell then sealed the victory with a two-run homer in the ninth to set the final score at 8-3.
Mark Wilson (Clark, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson) took the loss for the Peacocks.
The two teams will conclude the three-game series on Sunday at 12 p.m. Left-hander J.P. Stevenson is scheduled to take on right-hander Kevin Soriano (New Milford, N.J./New Milford) on the mound.
