A sacrifice fly by freshman Anthony Pellegrino (Branford, Conn.) lifted the Albertus Magnus baseball team to a come-from-behind 9-8 victory over Coast Guard on Monday night. In the first game of two, the Falcons battled back from an 8-4 deficit to pull within one run with three runs scored in the bottom of the fifth inning. A two-run sixth inning gave the Falcons the 9-8 advantage.
Pellegrino finished game one of the double header 2-for-2 with four RBI to lead the Falcons as they improved to 2-7 with the win. Jim Stanley (North Haven, Conn.) earned the victory on the hill for the Falcons as he came out of the bullpen and threw 4.2 innings of work, while striking out three and allowing three hits and three runs scored.
After Coast Guard took a 2-0 lead out of the gate in the first inning, the Falcons answered back with a four-run first, highlighted by three consecutive walks to start off the inning. With the bases loaded and no outs, senior Malcolm Mendez (New York, N.Y.) recorded an RBI single to score Fanal Prevalla (Berlin, Conn.) from third. Pellegrino followed with a single into the outfield, which plated two more Falcons as Albertus took a 3-2 lead. The Falcons' fourth run of the frame came off an RBI single from Nick Sedia (Bronx, N.Y.).
Coast Guard scored two runs in both the second and third innings to take a 5-4 lead before tallying a three-run fifth. Albertus starting pitcher, Matthew Finkenzeller (Wolcott, Conn.) went just 2.1 innings on the hill as he gave up seven hits, five earned runs and two walks.
Heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, the Falcons trailed by a score of 8-4. Kyle Calechman (North Haven, Conn.) led off the inning with a base hit before moving to second as Mendez was hit by a pitch for the third time this season. Robert Gambardella (North Haven, Conn.) followed with an RBI double as Calechman scored from second. Pellegrino then recorded his second hit of the contest with an RBI single to score Mendez from third. After a pitching change for the Bears, Sedia recorded an RBI single through the left side of the infield to cut the Bears' lead down to one at 8-7. Coast Guard's Nate Toll was able to get out of trouble as he struck out two and forced a fly out to end the Falcons' rally.
After a shutout inning in the top of the sixth for the Albertus defense, the Falcons used one hit and one Coast Guard error to score the tying and winning runs. Zak Sokolis (Meriden, Conn.) led off the frame with a base hit down the right field line. He advanced to second as Calechman earned a walk before another pitching change for the Bears.
A fielding error by the Bears' second baseman allowed Sokolis to score and tie the game at eight before Pellegrino's sacrifice fly scored the game's go-ahead run.
Sokolis went 2-for-3 for the Falcons with two runs scored, while Calechman had one hit and three runs scored as well. Sedia added a two-hit and two-RBI performance for his first multiple-RBI game of the year.
