Mavericks Drop Two to Hilbert

Junior Franky Vazquez went (3-5) with (2) RBI and (1) run scored in game two.

BUFFALO, NY – It has been a busy week for the Medaille Maverick Baseball team, as they hosted cross town rival Hilbert College for an AMCC double header. It was the third and fourth games for the blue and gold over the past three days, after hosting the University of Rochester Tuesday and traveling to Fredonia Wednesday. Unfortunately for the Mavs they couldn't bust out of their slump, dropping two to the Hawks (10-8) and (10-4).

Game one of the twin bill looked as if it was going to go Medaille's way early, with the Mavericks taking advantage of a number of Hilbert miscues to take an (8-2) lead through five innings.

Medaille got on the board in the bottom of the first inning when a Daniel Luppens (Wading River, NY,
Shoreham Wading River) sacrifice fly moved senior TJ Serba (Tonawanda, NY, Sweet Home) to third, and brought home sophomore Jared McStine (Endicott, NY, Union-Endicott). Junior Kris Kruszka (Gowanda, NY, Gowanda) wasted no time bringing Serba home, earning his (25) RBI of the season to make it (2-0).

After Hilbert tied it in the top half of the fourth, the Mavericks answered with two of their own in the bottom half to regain their two-run advantage. Sophomore Dan Lumadue (Buffalo, NY, Williamsville East) crossed home thanks to an error by the Hilbert second baseman, and a Kyle Powell (Haddon Heights, NJ, Haddon Heights ) single plated freshman Ryan Cooper (Elbridge, NY, Jordan-Elbridge) as Medaille regained the momentum.

The Mavericks took their (8-2) lead after a bottom of the fifth that saw the blue and gold plate four runs on three hits and four Hilbert errors.

The Hawks were able to answer with three in the sixth, and five in the seventh to complete the comeback and take game one (10-8). Nine different Mavs got hits in game one, including Powell and Serba who both had two apiece. Powell, Luppens, Kruszka, and junior Joe Napolitano (Millerton, NY, Housatonic Valley) all drove in runs in the loss as well.

Game two once again found the Mavericks take the lead in the early stages of the contest, hoping to earn the split with their AMCC rival. After giving up a run in the top of the first, Medaille tied things up with a statement shot over the left field fence by Kruszka in the bottom of the second. It was the third home run of the season for Kruszka, and second in three days as Medaille started to turn things around.

An RBI Powell to score junior Franky Vazquez (Valley Stream, NY, Valley Stream) put the Mavs up (2-1) in the second; then a Vazquez RBI single in the third scored Kruszka to give Medaille a (3-1) lead.

However, from the fourth to the seventh innings the Hawks scored eight straight runs to take a commanding (9-3) advantage. Vazquez earned his second RBI of the afternoon but it wasn't enough, as the Mavs fell (10-4).

Kruszka finished game two going (3-4) with two RBI and one run scored; while Vazquez ended the second game with three hits, two RBI, and one run scored as well.

Sophomore Tanner Jones (Madison,IN, Switzerland County) pitched well in relief for the blue and gold, throwing two innings and giving up no earned runs on one hit.

The losses drop Medaille to (7-19) overall and (2-8) in AMCC play, as they host the Lions of Penn State-Altoona in an AMCC double header on Saturday at McCarthy Park. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00pm.