Baseball Splits Series With SUNY Purchase To Open 2013 Campaign

W. Harrison, NY --- Worcester State split a doubleheader with SUNY Purchase in a season-opening twinbill on Saturday afternoon at Silver Lake Park.

Senior Nick Gezotis (Westfield, MA) tallied two hits and finished with a pair of runs scored in a 4-3 setback in the opener before classmate Alex Teal (Malden, MA) tossed a five-hitter in a 3-1 triumph in the nightcap.

In the first game, the Blue and Gold (1-1) were paced by fourth-year Jake Sanderski (Millbury, MA) and teammate Kurt Sabacinski (Worcester, MA/St. Peter-Marian) also two base-knocks apiece.

Senior classmates Michael Sarni (Shelton, CT), Kevin McQuade (Mamaroneck, NY) and Colin Morris (Bridgeport, CT) all propelled the hosting Panthers (1-2) with two hits each in the nine-inning affair.

SUNY Purchase went up 1-0 in the top of the first when fourth-year Daniel Stroud (Nyack, NY) drove in Sarni on an RBI single. Sarni opened the contest on a solo base-knock and then he reached third on consecutive steals.

WSU senior Nick Bonofiglio (Worcester, MA/Holy Name) then settled down and hurled four scoreless innings setting down 12 of his next 16 batters through the fifth inning.

Fourth-year Matt Paz (Bridgeport, CT) matched the effort as retired 11 of his first 13 before he yielded his first base-knock in the top of the fifth to sophomore Cody Osburn (Sacramento, CA).

Osburn stole second to get into scoring position with one out, but he was picked off by Paz to end the threat.

The play in the fifth loomed large for Worcester State as the Panthers touched up Bonofiglio for two more runs in the sixth for the 3-0 advantage.

After McQuade plated junior pinch runner Aryn Giddens (Queens, NY) from from second on an triple for the first run, he came around to score the second on a sacrifice fly by Morris.

In the top of the seventh, the Lancers broke the shutout bid on an RBI double by Sabacinksi, who drove in Gezotis with no outs. The Panthers, however, ended the threat when senior Miller Ludlow (New York, NY) induced a line-out double play and an infield pop-up.

Following a scoreless eighth inning by Ludlow, the hosts added a key insurance run on a Morris one-out single off of fourth-year reliever Cruz Rosado (Clinton, MA) for the 4-1 advantage.

The Blue and Gold didn't go away quietly as they rallied for two runs in the top of the ninth when junior Joe Carlier (Rockland, MA) and Osburn each drove in runs with the bases juiced to trail by just one score. Carlier was plunked and Osburn plated Gezotis on an RBI ground-out.

McQuade, who came into the contest in an attempt to nail down the save, ended the game and the threat on a grounder to second for the Panthers first win of the season.

Paz (1-0) gave up just two hits in his six innings of work as he fanned two and walked no one. He also finished with 11 ground-outs.

Bonofiglio (0-1) struck out 10 men, but he issued five free passes over his six frames and allowed three earned runs on five hits. Cruz punched out three in the final two innings for WSU.

SUNY Purchase outhit their counterparts, 9-7, and turned a pair of double-plays. Sarni also finished with four swipes for the hosts.

The Lancers started off the second game on the right foot with the 1-0 lead when Gezotis doubled in sophomore David Ruggiero (Peabody, MA) from second.

But the Panthers responded by equalizing the score 1-1 in the bottom of the second on an RBI ground-out by Sarni.

With the contest knotted early on, Teal lived up to the occasion and spun five innings of one-hit baseball. He also fanned eight, allowed just three base runners – two of which were stranded in scoring position.

Worcester State, on the other hand, had a frustrating game as they left five men on, including the bases loaded in the sixth.

But the Lancers finally broke the tie when Gezotis came through with he game-winning hit in the form of an RBI single with Salinas and Sanderski at first and second. Sabacinski then followed with an insurance run for the 3-1 edge as he plated Sanderski.

Teal (1-0) scattered five hits and allowed one earned run in his seven innings of work. He also walked one and registered eight ground outs.

Sophomore Mitch Paz (Bridgeport, CT) was dealt the no-decision as he went the first four frames giving up one earned run on four hits to go with one walk and a pair of strikeouts.

Junior Christopher Nast (Pound Ridge, NY) absorbed the setback for the Panthers. Nast (0-1) allowed the final two runs of the game to cross the plate in the top of the seventh.

The Lancers out-slugged SUNY Purchase, 9-5, in the nightcap, but left nine men on base.

Next week, Worcester State continues its season against Castleton State in a twinbill next Saturday in Chester, NY. The Panthers starts a five-game home stand next weekend starting with a single-game against SUNY Fredonia at 3 PM on Friday.