Newburgh, N.Y. – St. Joseph's (14-12, 9-1 SKY) had its eight-game Skyline win streak snapped earlier today but salvaged a split of the doubleheader with Mount Saint Mary (11-11, 6-4 SKY) to remain in solid command of first place in the conference. The Mount came out on top 9-7 in a back-and forth game one affair and then the Golden Eagles controlled game two early on for a 7-2 victory.
In the first game, St. Joseph's put up three runs in the second inning as Brendan Sullivan led off with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch and then came home on a single by Joseph Calabrese. Anthony Andreani then singled to right followed by a sacrifice bunt by James Terry. Ryan Walsh reached first on a throwing error by the Knight's shortstop, scoring Calabrese. The final run of the inning came on a Joseph Lynn sacrifice fly.
Mount Saint Mary answered back for one run in the third and three in the fourth off SJC starter Ryan Aloise to take control of the game, 4-3.
SJC got two runs in the top of the sixth as an Anthony Bonilla fielder's choice brought in Terry and Walsh as the bases were loaded. Lynn came home on a MSMC wild pitch and Bonilla eventually scored on a passed ball for a 7-4 lead.
The Knights roared back in the bottom of the seventh with five runs on five base hits, including two doubles and a triple, to take back the lead 9-7 - the eventual final score.
Matt Mills (2-2) came on in relief during MSMC's five-run inning and took the loss as he gave up two earned runs. Aloise went 6.1 and was charged with six earned runs on 11 hits.
In game two, St. Joseph's starter Glenn Patriss (2-0) shined as he pitched a seven-inning complete game and allowed no earned runs and only four hits while striking out three.
Both teams scored two runs in their half of the first inning. For SJC, Sullivan drove in James Nakashian, who singled and advanced on a wild pitch, and then Calabrese brought in Girardi, who had walked and advanced on the same wild pitch. Two Golden Eagle fielding errors set the stage for the Mount's first inning runs and the Knights capitalized on an RBI groundout and then an RBI single, both runs unearned for Patriss.
The score stayed tied until the top of the fifth. Sullivan was hit by a pitch, Calabrese singled and then Andreani knocked in Sullivan. Two plays later, Calabrese scored on a wild pitch for a 4-2 lead.
Another Sullivan double brought around Bonilla in the sixth, putting the game at 5-2. Then in the seventh, SJC added two more insurance runs on a pair of RBI singles by Lynn and Bonilla.
Calabrese (3-for-4, RBI), Lynn (3-for-4, RBI), Sullivan (2-for-3, 2 RBI) and Bonilla (2 for-5, RBI) all collected multiple hits in game two.
St. Joseph's looks to be in prime position to finish the regular season in first place with their 9-1 Skyline record and two games remaining with each Mt. St. Vincent (tomorrow) and Yeshiva (this Friday). They are three games ahead of both Mt. St. Mary (6-4) and Old Westbury (6-4) in the loss column.
