BENNINGTON, Vt. – Junior first baseman Cody LaBadia (Howes Cave, N.Y.) launched a pair of two-run homers Thursday afternoon to propel Southern Vermont College to a 10-0 win in seven innings over New England College in non-conference baseball action at Bill Epstein Field.
SVC improves to 8-11 on the season while the Pilgrims fall to 3-9.
The Mountaineers accounted for 14 total hits and were perfect on the defensive end to back junior right-hander Dustyn Marfyak (Torrington, Conn.) who picked up the win (1-2) from the bump. He had an outstanding performance, going all seven innings while giving up no runs on just four hits. Marfyak didn't allow a single walk and struck out three on the day.
LaBadia finished the afternoon 3-3 with two walks, four RBIs and three runs scored. Sophomore second baseman RJ Pingitore (Amsterdam, N.Y.) continued his hot hitting, registering his second 3-4 game in as many days; he knocked in three runs, scored twice and stole a base in the win. Freshman designated hitter Dylan Angelo (Ft. Johnson, N.Y.) went 2-3 with a walk and a run scored, and junior right fielder Roland Hernandez (Pico Rivera, Calif.) was 2-5 with an RBI.
Junior center fielder Christopher Smith (Raynham, Mass.) was the only Pilgrim to reach base twice, going 2-3 with a pair of doubles. Senior first baseman Eric Johnson (Whitman, Mass.) and junior left fielder Francesco DiRe (Barrington, R.I.) were each 1-3 in the effort.
The Mountaineers didn't waste much time taking to the scoreboard, tacking up a pair of runs in the bottom of the first with LaBadia's first two-run jack over the fence in right center, knocking in Pingitore who took the first pitch he saw in his side to get on base.
SVC added another two runs in the second after loading the bases with no outs. Pingitore looped a two-out single to center, scoring Angelo and freshman left fielder Joshua Hay (South Glens Falls, N.Y.) for the 4-0 advantage. The Pilgrims then elected to intentionally walk LaBadia, a move that would pay-off as an ensuing liner to senior Kevin Caputo (Taunton, Mass.) at second stopped the bleeding.
Marfyak continued to be stellar on the mound in the third, inducing three ground-outs to retire the NEC side in order and bring the Mountaineers back to the plate. SVC was blanked for the first time all day, however, and New England sent the game to the fourth maintaining the 4-0 deficit.
Smith finally broke up Marfyak's perfect outing with a lead-off double over junior Sal Sciara's (Massapequa, N.Y.) head in center. He would move up on a passed ball but get stranded at third as the SVC hurler retired the side by inducing three fly-outs, none deep enough for Smith to tag and score.
Southern Vt. added another piece of insurance in the bottom of the fourth when LaBadia got on via a bouncer through the right side and then subsequently took second on a passed ball; Hernandez knocked him in with a single to left center, making it a 5-0 ballgame.
NEC tried to get something going in the top of the sixth, Smith doing his part with his second double of the day, this time to the fence in right. He wouldn't make it much further, however, as Marfyak got out of the inning with a fly-out to left and then a grounder over to first that saw LaBadia range to his right, snag the ball and beat the hitter to the bag.
The Mountaineers got themselves on the board again in the bottom of the frame with a slew of hard-hit balls from the top of the order. Sciara led-off with a stand-up double down the left field line, and Nicastro then followed to knock him in with another double that way. Pingitore kept the doubles coming with a ball skied to center over the head of senior Scott Fortune (Shrub Oak, N.Y.), bringing in Nicastro. LaBadia ended the streak of two-baggers with his second blast of the day and the season, almost at the same spot to the right of the 415-foot center field marker, making it 9-0 in favor of the hosts.
To start the top of the seventh, New England got a runner on with a single to center. The Pilgrims couldn't manufacture much more than that as Marfyak continued to have good stuff, getting the next three batters to put the ball in the air for outs. SVC then ended the game with the necessary 10th run in the bottom of the inning when Nicastro crossed the dish on a bases-loaded balk.
NEC starter Nick Leishear (Portsmouth, N.H.) suffered the loss (0-1) after giving up four runs in 2.1 innings of work.
Up ahead for the Mountaineers is a three-game New England Collegiate Conference series at Becker College over the weekend, starting with a 12 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday. The Pilgrims host Lyndon State College Friday for a North Atlantic Conference twin-bill with a 2 p.m. first pitch.