Saturday, Mar. 31…GAME 1: SUNYIT 9, Gallaudet 7; GAME 2: SUNYIT 6, Gallaudet 3]
MARCY, N.Y. – The SUNYIT Baseball Team (4-15, 3-0 NEAC) opened up conference play with a trio of much-needed victories over the weekend: 9-7 and 6-3 over Gallaudet on Saturday, and 6-5 over Penn St.-Harrisburg in what turned out to be Sunday's only game due to rain in the afternoon.
The three wins were a form of sweet validation for the Wildcats, who prepared for the conference season with a grueling non-conference schedule in which the team managed just a single victory.
The first game featured a gutsy complete game performance on the mound as Daniel Wiecek (Fort Plain, N.Y. / Fort Plain) went the full-seven for the win. Wiecek didn't have his best stuff in allowing 7 runs (6 earned) on 11 hits, but did what all good starters do: pitch well enough to win.
In walking just one batter all game Wiecek kept the game moving and gave his offense a chance to help him out, and help they did, scoring in every inning but the second en route to the 9-7 victory. All-Conference center-fielder Anthony "Soobie" Surber (Dix Hills, N.Y. / Half Hollow Hills) acted as catalyst for the Wildcats, registering two hits while scoring a team-high 3 runs, and freshman catcher Anthony Ragosta (Troy, N.Y. / Troy) had one of his best games to-date in going 2-for-4 with 3 RBI's.
Whereas in the first game the Wildcats jumped out to an early lead in hanging three runs on the Bison in the first inning, in the second game Gallaudet pitcher Brandon Holsworth seemed to have SUNYIT on the ropes through the first four innings. Heading into the bottom of the 5th the score was knotted at 2-2.
Finally turning the tables, the Wildcats would take advantage of miscues by the opposing team this time around in taking advantage of three Bison errors. All told, SUNYIT scored 4 runs in the bottom of the fifth on just a single hit – a bunt single to lead off the inning by right-fielder Cody Chambers (Unadilla, N.Y. / Unatego), who was 2-for-4 on the game to lead all Wildcats.
Of course, the best part of the victory might have been the continuing return to form of senior ace Patrick Baker (Ronkonkoma, N.Y. / Connetquot). The 6-2 righty shut down the Bison for the full seven innings, scattering six hits while striking out five. It was his third consecutive outing of at least 6 innings and less than 3 earned runs allowed.
Sunday, April 1…GAME 1: SUNYIT 6, Penn St.-Harrisburg 5; GAME 2 PPD [RAIN]
The Wildcats came up with a dramatic team victory in their lone game on Sunday, besting the Nittany Lions of Penn St.-Harrisburg on a walk-off single by Sam Quinn-Loeb (Hamburg, N.Y. / Hamburg) in the bottom of the 7th inning. Quinn-Loeb had a day, going 3-for-4 with a team-high 2 RBI's.
Junior lefty Michael Rose (Chatham, N.Y. / HVCC) picked up the win for the Wildcats, going the distance to complete a remarkable weekend for SUNYIT, as all three starters pitched complete games. Just two of the five runs allowed by "Rosie" were earned, and he was at his best when SUNYIT needed it most, shutting down the Nittany Lions to the tune of 0 runs and 2 hits over the final three innings of the game.
The Wildcats will return to action with another conference game at Cazenovia this Friday. The first game of the doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 2:30 pm.
Stay tuned to the Wildcats website for information on when the second Penn St.-Harrisburg game will be made up.
