When and Where:

March 10, 2024 - East Islip, NY

Records:

St. Joseph's (L.I.), 1-6; Keene State, 4-5

Results:

The St. Joseph's University (L.I.) baseball team came back with a seven-run eighth inning to win game one of a non-conference split with Keene State College on Sunday afternoon.

Game one: SJLI 14; Keene St. 12

Key Players:

• Junior James Maggio was 3-for-4 with three runs scored 

• Freshman Scott Northrop finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored

• Junior Jordan Ramlogan and freshman Dom Crema both had two hits with two RBIs

How it happened:

• After the first two Owls were retired, Brendan Eaton tripled and was followed by a two-run blast by Shea Zina for a 2-0 lead in the top of the first

• A solo home run off the bat of Keene's George Young in the top of the third moved the score to 3-0

• A three-run bottom half of the third deadlocked the teams at three. Maggio started the inning with a double to right center and moved up 90 feet on a deep fly ball to center. An RBI single from Joe Hackal was followed by an RBI double from Crema for SJLI first two runs of the inning. A couple batters later Northrop singled in Crema tying the game at three.

• Keene responded quickly when they batted around in the top of the fourth stringing together four hits for five runs and an 8-3 advantage

• A two-RBI single from Keene's Eaton in the top of the fifth widened the gap to 10-3 

• After an unearned run for the Golden Eagles came in the bottom of the fifth, both sides plated a run in the sixth, 11-5

• SJLI's Chris Lettiere sent a two-run shot over the right-field fence in the seventh cutting the deficit to four, 11-7

• After the Owls pushed another run across in the top of the eighth, the hosts sent 12 Golden Eagles to the plate in the bottom half of the inning plating seven runs to take a 14-12 lead. After three consecutive walks to load the bases started the inning, back-to-back RBI singles from Joe Thatcher and Northrop pushed the first two runs across. A sac fly by Mike Difilippo scored Crema before a two-RBI down the right field line by Marco Gullo to tie the game at 12. After Maggio drew a walk Ramlogan drove a two-RBI triple into the right-center gap putting St. Joseph's ahead 14-12

• Reliever Dante Moribito entered the game in the top of the ninth and pitched around a lead off double to secure the win

Game two: SJLI 3; Keene St. 8

Key Players:

• Hackal finished 3-for-3 at the plate with a walk and a run scored

• Thatcher went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored 

How it happened:

• The Owls scored quickly with two runs on the top of the first. A lead off single scored on a triple by Evan Cali before an RBI single from Eaton pushed him across 

• The Golden Eagles got one back in the bottom of the second when Thatcher homered over the centerfield fence

• St. Joseph's took the lead with a couple of runs in the third. Hackal started the inning with a double and came in to score when Cali's throw went wide trying to catch him stealing third. A few batters later, Thatcher sent an RBI single to center scoring Rob Page who drew a walk earlier in the inning

• Keene retook the lead in the top of the fifth when they scored four runs on four hits 

• The Owls added some insurance with two runs in the seventh before the Golden Eagles were retired in order to end the game in the bottom half of the inning 

Next up, the Golden Eagles will travel to the Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach, SC, and will take on Plymouth St. University for a doubleheader on Thursday, Mar. 14th at 3:00 PM.