NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Albertus Magnus College baseball team split a home doubleheader against Fisher College on Wednesday, April 14. The Falcons celebrated the team's Senior Day between game one and two, recognizing seven players. 

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE (GAME 1): Albertus Magnus 5 | Fisher 4
MATCH-UP: This is the fourth and fifth meeting between the two programs. Tonight's win in game one was the program's first against the Falcons.
LOCATION: Rochford Field
BOX SCORE

HOW IT HAPPENED

Junior Joseph Matthews (Anaheim, Calif.) got things started for the Falcons in the bottom of the first as the second baseman scored from third following a throwing error by Fishers' catcher after leading off the inning with a hit-by-pitch. Albertus continued to threaten Fisher by loading the bases with two outs following a walk by Sean Jefferson (West Haven, Conn.), but a strikeout from Alex Kozlowski (Shelton, Conn.) ended the inning. 

After three scoreless innings, bats came alive for both Fisher and Albertus. Fisher capitalized on pitching change for the Falcons in the top of the fifth as Dennis Santiago homered to left field, scoring two runs to give the visitors the one-run advantage, 2-1. Shortly after, Albertus countered in the bottom half of the inning scoring three runs on three hits, behind a three-run RBI homer from Justen Rodriguez (Waterbury, Conn.), to take a 4-2 lead over the visitors. 

Fisher continued to swing the bat and scored another two runs in the top of sixth to even the game at 4-all. With two outs and a runner on second, Fisher's Reynaldo Vega cleared the bases behind an RBI home run to left-center, but a groundout to Falcons' pitcher Nick Kownack (Schenectady, N.Y.) left the lead runner stranded on second.

Albertus immediately answered the call in the bottom half of the inning by taking a one-run lead, 5-4, after Nhasean Murphy (Manchester, Conn.) scored on a wild pitch by Fisher's Angel Alicea. Following an out at first, Murphy sparked a fire in the Falcons' offense by finding himself in scoring position following an infield by Brandon Clark (Cheshire, Conn.) and a throwing error by Fisher's second baseman.

Fisher wasn't going down easy as the visitors had runners on the corners to start off the top of the seventh behind a single to left and a throwing error by the Falcons' left fielder. However, solid pitching from Tyler Baldwin (Cromwell, Conn.) kept the visitors at bay with back-to-back strikeouts to help secure the non-conference win for the Falcons.

TOP PERFORMERS

• WP: Nick Kownack (W, 1-0) | LP: Angel Alicea (L, 5-3) | S: Tyler Baldwin (S, 1)
• Jay Palais (Farmington, Conn.), Ike Flannery (Wethersfield, Conn.), and Michael Pepe (Cheshire, Conn.) also made an appearance on the mound for the Falcons.
• Palais led the Falcons' bullpen with four strikeouts while Flannery and Baldwin tallied two apiece. 
• Matt Warren (Wolcott, Conn.) finished game one leading the team at the plate with three hits and a run scored.
• All three of the Falcons' RBI's came from Rodriguez.
• Fisher was led offensively by Nicholas Lucchese who recorded two hits at the plate.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE (GAME 2): Fisher 10 | Albertus Magnus 2
RECORDS: Albertus Magnus (3-5) | Fisher (23-10)
LOCATION: Rochford Field
BOX SCORE

HOW IT HAPPENED

Shawn McFeggan (Anaheim, Cal.) started the game off with a bang, throwing a clean 1-2-3 first inning with two punchouts. Chris Imbarrato (Township of Washington, N.J.) got the Falcons started in the bottom half of the frame, ripping a single into left field. A fly-out and a fielder's choice at first base for Warren put a runner on first with two outs for Rodriguez, who slashed a single into left field. Unfortunately, the rally was short-lived, as Ty Netto (Derby, Conn.) fouled out in the next at-bat to end the inning.

Fisher opened the second frame with a single to left field by Johnathan Rosado, who promptly stole second. A strikeout and a throwing error put runners on the corners for the visitors, with only one out before another error scored the game's first run. Fisher continued to chip away, getting the hit by pitch and the stolen base to fill second and third base. Albertus pitcher Ricardo Torres (New Haven, Conn.) was unperturbed, however, striking out the final two hitters of the inning to limit the damage.

Albertus played small ball in the bottom half of the frame. A walk to Kownack started things off before he was erased at second on a fielder's choice. Baldwin took second on the play, putting a Falcon in scoring position with only one out. Two batters later, Caden Cloutier (Wallingford, Conn.) ripped a single into left field, scoring Baldwin from second and tying the game at 1-all.

Fisher started the third inning off with a pair of singles, wrapped around a popout to third base that put runners on the corners with only one out. A walk to Fisher's Rosado loaded the bases before a fly-out to center field scored the run for the visitors. Torres recorded the final out of the inning to stymie the rally. The Falcons opened the bottom of the third with a pair of strikeouts before a Rodriguez single got the hosts on the bags. A Netto single up the middle got the offense in motion, but Rodriguez was gunned out at third to end the inning.

Fisher put runners on the corners with only out to start the fourth and chase Torres from the game. Junior Alan Stinson (Watertown, Conn.) came on to pitch for Albertus and induced a popout for the second out. A passed ball scored the runner from third and gave Fisher the 3-1 lead before Warren snagged a liner at third to end the inning. Albertus went down quietly in the bottom of the frame, with a single from Vincent Gualtieri (Norwich, Conn.) being the only Falcon base runner.

Fisher loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the fifth before junior Dan DeBartolomeo (Fairfield, Conn.) came on in relief and got the strikeout to end the inning. Albertus was unable to capitalize on a pair of baserunners in the bottom of the inning, and the teams entered the sixth, with the Falcons trailing by two, 3-1.

Fisher exploded for five runs in the top of the sixth frame and took a commanding seven-run lead heading into the bottom of the sixth. Albertus was unable to get a spark going, and the teams entered the final inning, with Albertus trailing by seven. Fisher continued to pile on the offense, scoring another pair of runs on two hits and two Falcon errors.

Albertus entered the last inning down by nine runs, trying to spark the offense. A Matthews single got the leadoff hitter aboard for the hosts before a passed ball, and a groundout put the runner on third with two outs. Down to their final out, Eduardo Pena (Hamden, Conn.) singled into left field to drive in the RBI for Albertus. A hit batsman extended the inning before Kownack struck out to end the game.

TOP PERFORMERS
• WP: Johann Doerrer (W, 1-0) | LP: Ricardo Torres (L, 0-3)
• Rodriguez went a perfect 3-for-3 from the plate.
• Stinson posted the lone scoreless relief appearance over 1.1 innings.
• Gualtieri also had a multi-hit performance with 2-for-3 day.