Oscar Torres (Jersey City, N.J.) connected on a two-out RBI single to center to score the Falcons' eventual game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Albertus Magnus baseball team defeated Mount Saint Mary College 6-5 on Thursday night. Freshman Fanol Prevalla (Berlin, Conn.), who went 4-for-5 for the Falcons in tonight's ballgame, scored the eventual game winner as it was his third run of the contest.
With the win, the Falcons move to 7-16 on the year and are now 5-2 this season when playing at Quigley Stadium in West Haven.
Albertus took a 1-0 lead in the opening frame as Kyle Calechman (North Haven, Conn.) hit his team-leading sixth double of the season with a shot into the left center gap. Calechman, who came into tonight's game hitting .421 with runners on base, picked up his 15th RBI of the year with his multiple-base hit as Prevalla scored on the play. Prevalla led off the bottom half of the inning with an infield single before scoring the Falcons' first run of the contest.
The Falcons added their second run as Calechman scored on a base hit through the right side of the infield by Robert Gambardella (North Haven, Conn.). For Calechman, it was his team-leading 24th run scored on the year.
The Knights tied the game at two in the top of the second before Albertus took a 3-2 lead in the third thanks to a solo home run over the right field wall by Anthony Pellegrino (Branford, Conn.). The long ball was the first of the freshman's career.
Prevalla recorded his third hit of the contest with an infield single to short in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs and two runners in scoring position, Malcolm Mendez (New York, N.Y.) singled up the middle to plate two Falcons, extending Albertus' lead to 5-2. Prevalla and Calechman both scored on the play.
Mount Saint Mary cut the Falcons' lead to one with a run in the sixth then one in the seventh. After a lead-off double to left field by Vinnie Carminati in the top of the eighth, a deep fly ball to centerfield moved the Knights' sophomore to third before he scored on an RBI double by Brian McNoble to tie the game at five.
After Prevalla reached on a fielder's choice, he stole both second and third to get into scoring position in the eighth. Torres, who was making his first appearance at the plate after taking over in right field in the seventh, registered just his second hit of the season and his first career RBI with his crucial single to center.
Pellegrino finished the contest 2-for-3, while Gambardella also had two hits along with one RBI for the Falcons.
Daniel Kmiechick (Barnegat, N.J.) started on the hill for the Falcons for the fourth time this season. With the win, the junior improved to 1-3 on the year. Dornfried moved to the mound from short in the top of the ninth to close out the game for the Falcons. The sophomore retired the side for his first save of the year as it was just his second appearance on the hill this season. Kmiechick finished the game after eight innings of work. He gave up 12 hits and five runs, while walking two batters.
The Knights' Zach Kenny started for his ball club and threw five innings, while giving up nine hits, five runs and four walks. Matt Schumacher came out of the bullpen and went three innings as he toed the rubber when the Falcons broke open the tied ballgame and took the lead. Schumacher falls to 0-1 with the loss.
The Falcons will return to action on Saturday as they continue on their 10-game home stand in a 10-day period. On Saturday, the Falcons will take on Suffolk in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) double-header, which is scheduled to begin at noon at Quigley Stadium.
