A pinch-hit single by Mike Anastasio (East Haven, Conn.) led the Albertus Magnus baseball team to a come-from-behind walk-off victory as the Falcons edged Johnson & Wales (R.I.) University 4-3 (eight innings) in game one of the Tuesday night Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) doubleheader.
With one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, Anastasio settled into the batter's box and hit a single into right field which plated both Anthony Pellegrino (Branford, Conn.) and Jack Pritchard (Orange, Conn.) as the two served as the game-tying and game-winning runs.
With the league victory, the Falcons improve to 5-7 on the year and 3-0 in conference play. JWU falls to 12-6 overall with the loss and 2-1 in the GNAC standings.
The Wildcats used a two-run first inning to take an early lead led by two hits and a hit batter.
Albertus tied the contest with two runs in the fifth as a fielder's choice by Justin Poirier (Meriden, Conn.) plated Sage Leonard (Northford, Conn.) to cut the Wildcats' lead to one. An RBI single by Zak Sokolis (Meriden, Conn.) tied the game at two as Patrick Dornfried (Berlin, Conn.) scored from third after reaching base on his second hit of the ballgame.
In the top of the seventh, JWU's Pete Rosa led off the frame with a single to left. Tom Elkow came into the game to run for Rosa and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Rob Bocchetti. After a line out to Sokolis at first, Mike Barillaro (Meriden, Conn.) forced a groundout to third to get out of the inning.
In extras, the Wildcats loaded the bases on an intentional walk to Jake Dickerson before a groundout by Alex Pezzuto plated JWU's go-ahead run.
In the bottom of the eighth, Albertus got the leadoff man on as Sokolis singled down the right-field line. The Falcons eventually loaded the bases with one out before Anastasio's game-winning single.
Barillaro earned the nod on the hill for the Falcons as he went the distance and picked up his first win of the season. The sophomore allowed three runs on eight hits as he added three strikeouts.
JWU's Shawn Haugh, who started for the Wildcats, went seven innings as he gave up two runs on five hits, while striking out 11 batters. Aldon Morales blew the save out of the bullpen as he faced four batters, giving up two runs on two hits and a walk.
