WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – After a 6-1 loss in the morning, senior co-captain Joseph Szepessy (Athens, N.Y. / Coxsackie-Athens H.S.) threw a complete-game gem in the afternoon, going seven strong while allowing just 4 runs. It wasn't enough, however, as the Wildcats could push just 2 past home plate, losing 4-2 to Dickinson College.
GAME ONE – Dickinson 6, SUNYIT 1
Despite 8 hits, the Wildcats were unable to solve Andrew Mauro, who went five innings for Dickinson to pick up the win. Mauro scattered 7 hits, as team co-captain Chandler Evans (New Hartford, N.Y. / New Hartford H.S.) picked up SUNYIT's only RBI in going two-for-three.
On the mound for the Wildcats, sophomore Jeff Albright (New York Mills, N.Y. / New York Mills H.S.) battled through 4 and 1/3 innings. The lefty gave up 6 runs, only four of which were earned, and struck out 5 on the day.
GAME TWO – Dickinson 4, SUNYIT 2
After throwing a complete game in SUNYIT's first win earlier in the week (over Fitchburg State), right-hander Joseph Szepessy again showed his willingness to be a workhorse for the Wildcats in 2013. The senior allowed just 2 earned runs in his seven innings of work.
Most impressive for the team co-captain, Szepessy showed great poise after surrendering two runs in the top of the 1st inning.
Offensively, the Wildcats just couldn't string any hits together. Connor Passalacqua (Whitestown, N.Y. / Whitesboro H.S.) finished the game 2-for-3 to equal his output in the morning game and tally an altogether impressive 4-for-6 day, but Dickinson hurler Charlie Gaines did a good job of not letting the Wildcats get much started: of the Wildcats 5 hits, 4 of them came from two players (Passalacqua, and leadoff man Ryan Dungey (Vernon, N.Y. / VVS H.S.) who went 2-for-4). Gaines also allowed just one walk in his seven innings of work.
After returning north, SUNYIT will have a week off before traveling to the City College of New York (CCNY). The Wildcats will hope for warmer weather prior to the doubleheader, which is scheduled to begin at 2:00 pm on Saturday, March 23rd.