LEICESTER, Mass. – Southern Vermont College dropped a pair of New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) baseball contests Saturday afternoon, falling 5-4 and then 6-2 to Becker College at Rochdale Park to open the three-game series.
Becker improves to 8-4 in the conference with the day's sweep, 11-11 overall. SVC falls to 8-13 on the year, 3-5 in NECC play.
Mountaineer junior captain Chris Nicastro Jr. (Kenilworth, N.J.) had a huge day at the bat, going 3-8 with a home run in each game, his first two of the season. Collectively, he had three RBIs and three runs scored in the effort.
The Mountaineers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but BC came back with two runs in both the second and third for a 4-0 advantage. Southern Vt. was able to tie it up with a three-spot in the fifth for a 4-4 score that held until the bottom of the seventh. Matt Consigli (Whitinsville, Mass.) delivered the game-winning hit for the Hawks to take the opener.
SVC took to the scoreboard first once again with another run in the top of the first in game two. The Hawks would tie it in the third and then go ahead with a single run in the fourth. Southern Vt. evened the score once again in the following half inning, but Becker responded with three to go up 5-2. They added one more in the sixth and kept the Mountaineers at bay for the 6-2 final.
GAME 1: Becker 5, Southern Vt. 4
Junior center fielder Sal Sciara (Massapequa, N.Y.) had a 2-4 showing at the plate for the Mountaineers while scoring a run, and junior right fielder Roland Hernandez (Pico Rivera, Calif.) added a pair of RBIs on a two-run double in the fifth. Nicastro went 1-4 with two runs scored and a third knocked in.
In game one, the Mountaineers jumped on the board in the top of the first when Nicastro hit a solo home run over the left field fence.
The Hawks responded in the bottom of the second when senior Taylor Kapulka (Worcester, Mass.) belted a two-run home run over the left field fence to give Becker a 2-1 advantage.
In the bottom of the third, freshman Chris Testa (Providence, R.I.) led off the inning with a triple into left. Consigli brought home Testa with a single through the left side, making the score 3-1. After a stolen base and wild pitch advanced Consigli to third, Tom Natoli (Suffern, N.Y.) hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield, upping the Hawks' lead to 4-1.
In the top of the fifth the Mountaineers would tie the game at 4-4. Sciara led off the inning with a single, and after he stole second, a Becker fielding error put runners on the corners with one out. Sophomore RJ Pingitore (Amsterdam, N.Y.) cut the Mountaineers' deficit to 4-2 with a sacrifice fly to center field, allowing Sciara to scamper home from third. After junior Cody LaBadia (Howes Cave, N.Y.) singled up the middle, Hernandez tied the game with his two-run double.
With the scored knotted in the bottom of the seventh, pinch hitter Niko Bedell (Manorville, N.Y.) led-off the inning with a single up the middle. After a wild pitch allowed pinch runner Keon Jenkins (Nashua, N.H.) to advance to second, Consigli gave the Hawks a dramatic walk-off win with single into left field.
Becker starter Nick Lemay (Oxford, Mass.) earned the victory (5-1) after allowing just one earned run in seven innings of work. Freshman Dylan Angelo (Ft. Johnson, N.Y.) took the loss (2-2) for the Mountaineers.
GAME 2: Becker 6, Southern Vt. 2
Nicastro was 2-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored, and Sciara added a 2-3 showing with a walk, his second stolen base of the day, and a run scored.
In game two, Southern Vt. took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Nicastro hit a double into left field, scoring Sciara from second base.
The Hawks tied the game in the bottom of the third when Testa doubled home classmate T.J. Sempkowski (Oceanport, N.J.).
In the bottom of the fourth, the Hawks took a 2-1 lead when a balk allowed senior Mike Marcello (West Haven, Conn.) to advance home from third base.
Southern Vermont tied the game in the top of the fifth when Nicastro hit his second home run of the day.
In the bottom of the frame, the Hawks were able to get some breathing room when they put three runs on the board. With runners on second and third, Consigli drove in Chris Flanders (Londonderry, N.H.) from third base with a sharp single to right field. Marcello gave Becker a 5-2 lead when he roped a double into the right center field gap, scoring Testa and Consigli.
A Testa sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth gave Becker the 6-2 victory. Jenkins was credited with the win (3-1) after allowing two runs on six hits in five innings of work. Freshman Tyler Wagar (Uxbridge, Mass.) preserved the victory with two scoreless innings of relief. Senior lefty Kurt Kowalczyk (Amsterdam, N.Y.) suffered the loss (1-2) after allowing four earned runs in six innings.
The series wraps up Sunday at Becker with a 12 p.m. first pitch.