GAME FIVE: #2 Baruch Bearcats 5, #3 Lehman Lightning 1 - Boxscore

In a closely fought game, the Baruch Bearcats defeated the Lehman Lightning, 5-1 in Game 5 of the CUNYAC/MCU Baseball Championship game at MCU Park. As a result, Lehman is now eliminated from the championships and Baruch advances to Day Three. They will now have to beat Staten Island twice as the Dolphins have not lost a game in the tournament.
 
“It was a tough, well pitched game for both teams,” head coach Jose Torres said. “We were fortunate to scratch out some runs late in the game.”
 
This game featured a great pitching matchup between Baruch’s Paul Perez and Lehman’s Justin Moises. Knowing that the losing team was going home, both pitchers were sharp.
  
Early on in the game, Perez and Moises exchanged shutout innings through the first two frames. In the bottom of the third inning, Baruch’s Daniel Arango led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Matthew Ballone grounded out and Arango advanced to third. With two outs in the inning, Jasdeep Battar delivered a RBI single to center field. Baruch had an early 1-0 lead.
 
However, Lehman responded when Eric Peralta singled with one out to start the rally. Peralta stole second and advanced to third on a base hit by Michael Liang. With runners on the corners, Alberto German singled to left field to tie the game.
 
Both pitchers continued to dominate as neither team recorded a hit from the fifth to seventh inning. In the bottom of the eight inning, Baruch’s Ballone led off the inning with a walk. He stole second and advanced to third on a ground out. With the bases loaded, John Yuksekol walked to give the Bearcats a 2-1 lead. Baruch added three insurance runs, thanks to RBI’s by Phillip Loprete, Michael Ulino and Arango.
 
This would be all Perez needed. He would go the distance, allowing six hits, one run, no walks and struck out four. His counterpart, Moises, threw 7.1 innings, allowed seven hits, five runs (three earned) and struck out three.

“I had my pitches working today,” Perez said. “I felt very comfortable and confident on the mound.”
 
Game 6 of the championships will be at 4pm at MCU Park. If Staten Island wins, the Dolphins will be crowned champions. If Baruch wins, both teams will play a Game 7 starting approximately 45 minutes after the finish of Game 6.
 
As for Friday, Torres said, “We have our work cut out for ourselves….but we will be ready to play.”


GAME FOUR: #1 Staten Island Dolphins 9, #2 Baruch Bearcats 3 - Boxscore

In Day Two, and Game Four, of the 2013 CUNYAC/MCU Baseball Championships at MCU Park, the #1 seed College of Staten Island Dolphins defeated the #2 seed Baruch Bearcats, 9-3. During the regular season, Staten Island swept Baruch, 20-7 and 9-3. Both teams were looking to have double elimination heading to Day Three. Michael Fitzpatrick of CSI opposed Eric Peralta from Baruch.
 
“It was a big win,” said head coach Mike Mauro. “It was a must win game heading into Friday.”
 
Staten Island started the scoring in the bottom of the first. Bryan Moreno led off the game with a single and then stole second. Joseph Palmeri followed singling to centerfield to create first and third with no out. Palmeri stole second base and Chris Ramanauskas singled to drive in the first run of the game. Will DiFede then grounded out for an RBI and later on in the inning, David Carles doubled to left field to give Staten Island a 4-0 lead. The Dolphins tacked on two more runs, courtesy of a two-run single by James Lewis. After one, Staten Island led 6-0.
 
Fitzpatrick allowed only one hit through four innings and Staten Island’s offense added on another run in the bottom half of the fourth inning. Daniel Lynch walked and stole second and third. Palmeri then singled to left to record the RBI.
 
“I was real excited to get the start,” Fitzpatrick said. “I tried to do my best and keep the team in it.”
 
The Dolphins added two insurance runs in the sixth inning to increase their lead to 9-0. Carles led off and was hit by a pitch. He advanced to third after two stolen bases and later scored on a wild pitch. Moreno then hit an RBI single to drive in Lynch, who reached on a single.
 
The Bearcats finally got on the board in the top of the seventh as Angel Tejada led of the inning with a single. Tejada advanced to third on a single by Eric Ulina. Tejada eventually scored on a wild pitch and Daniel Arango singled to right field to drive home Ulina.
 
Baruch added on another run in the 8th inning after Matthew Ballone walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Nicholas Pomo-Roman singled through the left side to give Baruch its third run of the game.
 
Fitzpatrick threw seven innings and allowed five hits, two runs, no walks and struck out 10. He picked up his sixth win of the season.
 
“He came out here and dominated for six innings,” Mauro said. “Despite being a freshman, he wasn’t fazed by anything and I’m very proud of him.”
 
Staten Island now advances to Day Three and keeps the double elimination format. Baruch will now face the Lehman Lightning in Game Five. Winner plays Staten Island on Friday and loser is eliminated. 


GAME THREE: #3 Lehman Lightning 2, #4 John Jay Bloodhounds 1 - Boxscore

Game 3 at MCU Park ended with a close 2-1 victory for the #3 Lehman Lightning over the #4 John Jay Bloodhounds. With the win, Lehman advanced to Game 5 versus the winner of #1 Staten Island versus #2 Baruch.

A duel between two strong pitchers kept it close throughout the game.

Lehman nearly scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the second on a single by Miguel Nunez but was thrown out by Esteban Soler in shallow right field.

The next inning, John Jay was in a position to score after a soft single by Nick Gioia and soon after was moved along to third. A Dennis Lopez infield single scored Gioia to give the Bloodhounds a 1-0. The Lightning came storming back with three singles to lead off the bottom of the inning. Two soft grounders by Socrates Peralta and Michael Liang moved the runners and scored two before the inning ended to give Lehman a 2-1 lead.

Strong pitching on both sides held the game there for the rest of the way to send John Jay packing and Lehman to Game 5.

For John Jay, Gioia went 2 for 4 with a run scored and Braylin Perez threw eight innings while surrendering just five hits and two walks.

Lehman’s Freddy Parra threw seven strong innings and surrendered no earned runs for the win. The game was saved by Michael Liang who had driven in the winning run during the bottom of the third.

"We were fortunate to manufacture two runs," said Head Coach and Lehman Hall of Famer Chris Viggiano. "You don't get many opportunities against Braylin." On Freddy Parra, "What a great performance today, he pounded the strike zone and had terrific location."

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