Columbia
HOLY CROSS (Game 1)
Offense Comes Alive in Nightcap after Lions Drop Opener in Saturday Doubleheader with Holy Cross
3/26/2011 7:06:00 PM | Baseball
NEW YORK -- After Holy Cross rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win the opener of a doubleheader with Columbia on Saturday afternoon, the Lions busted out in game two, collecting 18 hits in an 11-1 victory.
Game One
Columbia broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the second inning, coming after a leadoff walk to Alex Ferrera issued by Crusader starter John Pedrotty. The Lions then played small ball, as Alex Godshall dropped down a nice bunt down the third base line and beat it out for a base hit and BIlly Rumpke's sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position with one out.
Mike Fischer's groundout scored Ferrera with the first run of the game. Nick Cox followed with a walk to put runners on the corners with one out. With Jon Eisen at the plate, Cox took off for second base but the lefty Pedrotty threw to Eric Oxford at first base as Cox was hung up between first and second.
With Cox breaking for second, Oxford's throw sailed high and into left field, allowing Godshall to come across with the Lions' second run of the inning. Cox stood at second and came around to score when Eisen lined an 0-2 pitch into center field for a run-scoring single, making it 3-0 Columbia.
Columbia starter Pat Lowery hung up zeroes in the first two innings but the Crusaders took advantage of three Columbia errors in the second to score twice, getting back to within a run at 3-2.
Pedrotty did not allow a Columbia hit the rest of the way, only giving up two bases on balls after the third inning.
Meanwhile, the Crusaders tied the game in the fifth on a Patrick Puentes RBI single into left field that scored Nick Ciardello from third base but Rumpke fired a strike to the plate to nail Oxford at home, keeping it a 3-3 game.
In the sixth, Ciardello delivered a two-out single that plated Brendan McCrea with the go-ahead run, giving Holy Cross a 4-3 lead that Pedrotty would hold.
Pedrotty allowed just one earned run and four hits in seven innings. Lowery allowed just three earned in six innings, walked two and struck out five. David Speer came on in relief in the seventh to keep the Crusaders off the board.
Game Two
Columbia got its offense going early in the second game as Nick Cox started by legging out an infield base hit. He moved to second on a wild pitch uncorked by Holy Cross starter Matt Croglio and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Jon Eisen.
Two batters later, Alexander Aurrichio belted a double off the wall in center field, scoring Cox and giving the Lions a 1-0 advantage.
On the other end, Columbia starter Geoff Whitaker struck out four through three innings and pitched seven shutout innings. He allowed three hits and struck out six for the game.
Whitaker's start gave the Columbia offense time to take a 2-0 lead into the fifth inning when the floodgates opened.
The Lions scored four in the fifth, started on a Crusader error. Eisen had the big hit, a two-run single that made it a 4-0 game.
Columbia added four more run in the sixth inning. Cox was again the catalyst, beating out an infield single on a ball hit to the shortstop deep in the hole. He promptly stole second base, one of his four stolen bases in the game and Eisen walked. The speedy duo pulled off a double steal, getting into scoring position for Dario Pizzano.
Pizzano laced a single into left center, scoring Cox and Eisen, making it 8-0. Later in the inning, Columbia loaded the bases with two outs and Nick Crucet delivered a two-run single through the right side that pushed the Lions' advantage to 10-0.
Kevin Roberts lined a pinch-hit single into center field in the seventh to score Columbia's 11th run of the game as the Lions posted 18 base hits, including five for extra bases, in the second game.
Whitaker improved his record to 2-2 on the season with the win. Zack Tax came on in the eighth to pitch the final two innings, striking out three batters along the way.
Columbia and Holy Cross will meet again for a doubleheader on Sunday, March 27 at Robertson Field at Satow Stadium. First pitch is slated for noon.
NOTES:
Five Lions notched multiple-hit games in game two -- Nick Cox, Jon Eisen, Dario Pizzano, Alexander Aurrichio and Nick Crucet ... Pizzano and Crucet each drove in three runs ... Cox went 4-for-5 with four runs scored and four stolen bases in the nightcap ... Aurrichio doubled in his first two trips to the plate ... Kevin Roberts has driven in a run in his last two at-bats ... the doubleheader was the home opener at the newly minted Robertson Field at Satow Stadium, in front of a nice crowd on what was a cold, but sunny day in New York City.
