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Box Score 2 RICHMOND, Va. – Jake Regina (Rutherford, N.J./Rutherford) pitched a solid six innings and Jason Midkiff (Wanaque, N.J./Paramus Catholic) smacked a three-run homer to power Saint Peter's to a 10-8 victory against Maryland-Eastern Shore in the Peacocks season opener on Friday. The win marked the first time the Jersey City team opened the season with a win since 2011. Saint Peter's then lost 10-0 to Richmond in the second game of the afternoon.
Regina, a junior college transfer, allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits with two strikeouts in six innings pitched to earn his first Peacocks (1-1) victory. Midkiff, who appeared in 19 games as a pitcher in his first three seasons in Jersey City, went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer during the four-run fifth.
Jon Kristoffersen (Jefferson, N.J./Jefferson Township) added two hits, two runs scored and a solo homer while Nicholas Camilleri (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep) went 3-for-5 in his collegiate debut. After the Hawks (2-2) scored five times in the ninth, Mike Doran (Ashbury, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep) came in to record the final two outs to record the save and secure Saint Peter's first season-opening win since 2011.
Jessey Valdez paced UMES with two hits, three RBIs and a run scored while Mike Escanilla added two hits, two runs scored and an RBI in the loss.
The Peacocks erased a 2-1 deficit with by scoring seven unanswered runs to take the lead it would not relinquish en route to the 10-8 win.
After the Hawks scored on a wild pitch in the second, Saint Peter's touched home four times in the fourth. Camilleri started the rally with a double to left center before Tommy Toole (Manasquan, N.Y./Manasquan) was hit by a pitch and Gary Puente (Linden, N.J./Linden) notched his first collegiate hit and RBI on a single to left field to plate Camilleri to tie the game at 2. Rob Moore (Ridge, N.Y./Longwood) then gave the Peacocks the lead for good on a sacrifice fly to center to score Toole before Puente touched home on a wild pitch for a 4-2 advantage.
In the fifth, Saint Peter's added five runs. Kristoffersen started the rally with a triple and Moore walked put runners at the corners before Nick Ciocco (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill) brought home Kristoffersen with an RBI single to left. With one out, Midkiff smacked a three-run shot to right field to increase the lead to 8-2.
Jordan Martin scored on an error in the bottom of the fifth to cut the margin to 8-3.
After Camilleri touched home on an error on a double steal in the seventh Christopher Micak (Edison, N.J./Metuchen) homered to left to lead off the ninth to extend the margin to 10-3.
UMES scored five times in the ninth to make it a two-run game at 10-8. Valdez brought home two runs on a single before Conor Breslin and Joseph Nicastro recorded back-to-back RBI singles and Grayson Trowe hit a sacrifice fly to make it a two-run game. Doran then registered a groundout to end the game.
Saint Peter's opened the game with a run in the first when Kristoffersen smacked a solo shot to right for a 1-0 edge.
Valdez doubled home a run in the bottom of the first to tie the game at 1 before Dallas Culotta touched home on a wild pitch to give the Hawks their only lead at 2-1 after two innings. The Peacocks then scored seven unanswered runs to take the lead and never look back to earn the win.
The celebration did not last long after Richmond defeated Saint Peter's in the second game of the twinbill 10-0 in seven innings. The Spiders used a seven-run fourth to put the game away.
Michael Morman paced the Spiders (3-1) with a 4-for-5 with three RBIs and a run scored while Kyle Adams added two hits, two RBIs and a runs scored.
Puente, Kristoffersen, Moore and Angel Perez (Jersey City, N.J./Marist HS) each recorded a hit for the Peacocks in the loss.
Richmond started the scoring with a run in the third on a Doug Kraeger RBI fielder's choice for a 1-0 edge.
In the fourth, Brandon Johnson started a seven-run rally with a sacrifice fly before D.J. Lee plated a run on a single. Morman and Kurtis Brown recorded back-to-back run-scoring doubles before Adams smacked a two-run triple and Daniel Brumbaugh capped the offensive outburst with an RBI single for an 8-0 lead.
Morman added a two-run double in the seventh to seal a 10-0 win.
The Peacocks best chance to score came in the third when Puente singled to second to open the inning and Moore singled to right field to put runners on first and second. A pair of fielder's choice ended the rally.
Puente, Camillieri and Griffin Arnott (Brielle, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy) made their collegiate debut in the field while Nicholas Arre (Hillsdale, N.Y./Taconic Hills) and Stephen Epstein (Marlboro, N.J./Marlboro) made their debut on the mound in the game against UMES.
Saint Peter's returns to action on Saturday against UMES at 10 a.m.
