NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The Albertus Magnus College baseball team split their final regular-season doubleheader against the Blazers of Elms College on Saturday afternoon in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play. The Falcons took game one by a 4-3 final score before dropping the nightcap, 11-2.
Jason Sullivan (Meriden, Conn.) led the Falcons with four hits in the doubleheader to go along with a double, a run scored, and an RBI. Ike Flannery (Wethersfield, Conn.) had a terrific day on the mound for the Falcons in game one, going the distance and permitting just four hits and three earned runs while striking out six.
THE BASICS
FINAL (G1): Albertus Magnus 4 | Elms 3
FINAL (G2): Elms 11 | Albertus Magnus 2
RECORDS: Albertus Magnus (10-23, 8-10 GNAC) | Elms (14-18, 8-10 GNAC)
LOCATION: Rochford Field
HOW IT HAPPENED - Game 1
After a scoreless first inning, Shawn Smith (Shelton, Conn.) got things started for the Falcons as the first baseman drove in Yandy James (Paterson, N.J.) from second for the early 1-0 lead over the Blazers. James kicked off the inning with a two-out double to right-center before Smith allowed him to cross home. Bobby Arent (Ridgefield, Conn.) kept the momentum going for the Falcons by forcing a walk and putting runners on first and second for Nahsean Murphy (Manchester, Conn.), but the center fielder collected the final out of the inning following a fly-out to center.
The Falcons pitching shut down the Blazers again in the top of the third before increasing their lead to 2-0 in the home half of the inning. With runners on second and third following a Sullivan double, Sean Jefferson (West Haven, Conn.) drove Ron Losacano (Old Lyme, Conn.) home from third with a sacrifice fly to right field.
Albertus held Elms scoreless again in the top of the fourth on Flannery's third consecutive 1-2-3 frame on the mound. AMC rewarded its pitcher with two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Two singles and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases for Losacano, who took a pitch to the shoulder, bringing another run across. Sullivan then stepped to the plate with the bases juiced, slapping a single to left to make it a 4-0 Albertus advantage,
The Blazers broke up Flannery's no-hit bid in the top of the fifth, but the junior bounced back and got out of the inning without giving up a run.
However, Elms did break onto the scoreboard in the sixth and seventh innings. EC scored its first run after a dropped strike three allowed a runner to score from third on the throw down to first. The Blazers added two more in the seventh following a no-out homer from George Chaya. Fortunately for the Falcons, Flannery slammed the door on the comeback attempt with three straight outs, two strikeouts to pick up his third win of the season.
TOP PERFORMERS
- WP: Ike Flannery (W, 3-2) - 7.0 Innings | 4 Hits | 3 Runs | 0 Walks | 6 Strikeouts
- LP: Austin Roy (L, 2-3) - 6.0 Innings | 7 Hits | 4 Runs | 2 Walks | 1 Strikeout
- Sullivan and Smith led Albertus with two hits.
- Sullivan, James, and Smith each had a double.
- Flannery tossed a complete game with six strikeouts.
HOW IT HAPPENED - Game 2
The Blazers took an early 3-0 lead in the first inning off Falcons' starter Tyler Baldwin (Cromwell, Conn.) with four straight hits to start the frame before Bladwin slammed the door with three consecutive outs to stymie the rally.
The Falcons roared right back in the bottom of the frame, loading the bases with one out. Two walks and a hit by pitch allowed Matt Warren (Wolcott, Conn.) to drive a deep fly ball to right field that scored Losacano for the first Falcon's run of the game.
Matthew Silverstein (Shelton, Conn.) relieved Baldwin in the second and held the visitors scoreless with a strikeout and a pair of groundouts. The Falcons put two on in the bottom of the stanza but could not capitalize as Blazers' starter Damon Wesley snuffed out the rally with two quick outs.
Silverstein held the visitors scoreless in the top of the third before the blue-and-white cut the deficit in half with another tally. A Sullivan single led off the frame before Warren launched an RBI triple into centerfield to score Sullivan and make it a 3-2 game. Wesley retired the next two hitters to end the frame without any more damage, and the teams transitioned into the fourth inning with the Blazers holding a 3-2 lead.
Neither team was able to score in the fourth. The Blazers tacked three more runs in the fifth behind a hit and a pair of Falcons' errors to extend their lead to 6-1. Elms continued to push its advantage, scoring an additional five runs in the sixth to push its lead to 11-2. Albertus could not mount the comeback in the final three innings and fell to the Blazers in game two by a final score of 11-2.
TOP PERFORMERS
- WP: Damon Wesley (W, 4-3) - 6.0 Innings | 3 Hits | 2 Runs | 3 Walks | 4 Strikeouts
- LP: Tyler Baldwin (L, 2-6) - 1.0 Inning | 4 Hits | 3 Runs | 1 Walk | 1 Strikeout
- Sullivan had two hits and a run scored.
- Warren had a triple and two RBIs.
- Silverstein threw two scoreless innings.
- Caden Cloutier (Wallingford, Conn.) tossed 1.2 innings of scoreless relief.
NOTEWORTHY
- Sullivan recorded his seventh multi-hit game of the season in today's doubleheader.
- Silverstein has thrown three straight scoreless outings and has six strikeouts in those three outings.
- Flannery threw his third complete game of the season.
- The Falcons are 2-4 all-time against the Blazers.
- Coach Brian Leighton earned his 200th career victory at the helm of the Albertus Magnus College baseball team.
- Lewczyk is on a seven-game hitting streak.
UP NEXT
After posting a league mark of 8-10, the Albertus baseball team clinched the No. 6 seed in the upcoming 2022 GNAC Baseball Tournament, which is slated to begin on Tuesday, May 3rd. The Falcons will travel to Providence, R.I. to face the No. 3 seed Johnson & Wale University in a single-elimination game. Game time is set to be determined.
