Adam Sandt was 4-for-4 with a double, triple, three RBI and three runs scored as Stevens knocked off No. 2 Cortland, 12-9, on Monday. |
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (March 13, 2006) – The second-ranked team in the nation and 2005 national runner-up could not prevent another offensive explosion by the Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team as the Ducks pounded out 18 hits en route to a 12-9 win over SUNY Cortland on Monday at the Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte, Fla. Stevens, which has won five straight games, improved to 6-2 on the year while the Red Dragons fell to 5-2 overall.
“We knew that coming into today that we had a big challenge in front of us with Cortland, and we responded well,” head coach John Crane (Red Bank. N.J.) said. “We have been playing well in all three phases (hitting, pitching and defense) of the game recently and that continued today. (Gerard) Moreno (Bogota, N.J.) did a great job after he settled in and proved once again that he is certainly a big-game pitcher.”
In its recent five-game win streak, Stevens has scored 51 runs and collected 74 hits. While in Florida, the Ducks’ offense has been sizzling to the tune of 40 runs and 53 hits in three games. For the season, Stevens boasts an astounding .373 team batting average and has scored 7.9 runs per game.
On Monday, the Ducks fell behind early as Cortland pushed across a run in the top of the first inning as senior outfielder Zach Tacelli (Latham, N.Y.) came up with a two-out RBI single. The Ducks answered right back in the bottom of the frame as junior pitcher/infielder Adam Sandt (Allentown, Pa.) roped a two-out triple to right-center. Sandt scored on a wild pitch with sophomore infielder John Frustaci (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) at the plate.
The Red Dragons pushed across two runs in the top of the second as senior outfielder Jim Basnight (East Norwich, N.Y.) drilled a two-run double down the left-field line. Stevens responded as freshman infielder Michael DeCoro (Palisades Park, N.J.) and sophomore catcher David Katusa (Somerset, N.J.) strung together back-to-back RBI singles in the bottom of the inning.
In the third, Stevens loaded the bases with no outs thanks to three straight singles by senior outfielder Tim Meehan (East Brunswick, N.J.), Sandt and Frustaci. A passed ball by sophomore catcher Mike Zaccardo (Irondequoit, N.Y.) allowed Meehan to score and put a pair of runners in scoring position. Junior Ryan Birkenstock (Smithville, N.J.) produced a clutch RBI double to right later in the inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Ducks loaded the bases with no outs once again against freshman pitcher George Jweid (New Hartford, N.Y.). Junior pitcher/outfielder Eric McCormick (Edison, N.J.), who led off the frame with a single to left, scored on a wild pitch. Frustaci plated the second run of the inning with a fielder’s choice grounder on which Sandt was forced out at second. Birkenstock added an RBI single to push the lead to 8-3.
The Ducks tacked on three more runs in the fifth. Sandt drilled a two-out RBI double to center to score McCormick and Meehan. Frustaci laced an RBI single to right for the Ducks’ 11th run of the game.
Stevens extended its lead to 12-3 in the seventh as Sandt produced a two-out infield hit to score McCormick.
After plating one run in the eighth, Cortland made things interesting as the Red Dragons scored five runs in the ninth inning against sophomore pitcher Chris Burgess (Palisades Park, N.J.). Sophomore first baseman John Giametta, Jr. (Marlboro, N.Y.) fueled the Cortland rally with a two-run home run to left. Sandt came on to shut the door as he fanned freshman outfielder John Zilnicki (Riverhead, N.Y.) on four pitches for the final out of the game.
Sandt had a tremendous all-around game as he 4-for-4 with a double, triple, three RBI and three runs scored. DeCoro was 3-for-4 with three runs scored. Birkenstock added three hits, two RBI and a run scored. Meehan was 2-for-4 with three runs scored. Freshman pitcher/outfielder Joe Gunshor (Ridgefield, Conn.) and Frustaci added two hits apiece. Frustaci also had two RBI.
After a shaky first two innings, Moreno settled in and picked up the win for the Ducks as he allowed four hits, three earned runs and two walks while striking out five batters over seven innings. Moreno ran his record to 1-1 on the year with the victory.
Sophomore pitcher Chris Bilyk (Ithaca, N.Y.) was saddled with the loss (0-1) after allowing eight hits and five runs while striking out five over 2.1 innings of work. Giametta was 1-for-2 with a home run, run scored and two RBI for the Red Dragons. Basnight was 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored.
Stevens will be back in action on Tuesday when it faces Western New England College at 6:30 p.m. in Port Charlotte.
