FSC Baseball Comes Up Short at NYU

Recap, photo courtesy of Farmingdale State

NYU - 8, Farmingdale State - 7

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Brooklyn, N.Y. - The Farmingdale State baseball team traveled to non-conference opponent New York University last night and fell, 8-7. FSC trailed 8-0 heading into the ninth inning and scored seven runs to cut their deficit to just one, but were unable to push across another run as NYU held on for the win. The Rams dropped to 2-1 with the loss, while the Violets improved to a perfect 5-0 overall.

NYU opened the scoring in the first inning as senior center fielder Jake Walter (Lubbock, TX) led off with a single and later came around to score on a two-run homerun by freshman shortstop Zane Baker (Bellevue, WA).

Neither team would score until the bottom of the fifth inning when a hit-by-pitch forced in a run to give the Violets a 3-0 advantage.

NYU led 5-0 in the seventh and used a three-run triple by Walter to go in front, 8-0.

In the top of the ninth inning, Farmingdale State loaded the bases on a fielder's choice, a walk and a hit-by-pitch before freshman left fielder Patrick Leach (Rockville, Centre, N.Y.) hit a grand slam to left field to cut the deficit to 8-4. After NYU forced a flyout for the second out of the inning, junior shortstop Brian Perez (Levittown, N.Y.) hit a single to second base and junior designated hitter Vincent Rice (Massapequa Park, N.Y.) walked. The next batter, junior right fielder Vincent Napolitano (Bellmore, N.Y.), tallied a three-run homerun to left-center to close within just one, 8-7. Violets' sophomore relief pitcher Joseph Prisco (Pound Ridge, N.Y.) would force Rams' pinch-hitter Jimmy Mattera (West Islip, N.Y.) to ground out to third to end the game and secure the victory, 8-7.

Leach was 2-for-5 with four runs batted in on his grand slam, while Perez tallied two hits and one run scored. Napolitano had three RBI's and one run scored and senior third baseman Jason Conti (Mount Sinai, N.Y.) was 1-for-4 with a double. FSC junior Nicholas Rooney (Ridge, N.Y.) pitched 4.1 innings in relief and allowed just three hits, while striking out four.

For NYU, Walter was 3-for-5 with three RBI's and one run scored. Junior Sal Cammisuli (Jericho, N.Y.) (1-0) earned the win, pitching 6.1 scoreless innings.

The Rams next head down to Kissimmee, Florida for the RussMatt Invitational from March 14th-21st. The Rams first will play University of Massachusetts Boston on Friday, March 15th at 11:30 a.m.