AMSTERDAM, N.Y. — Scoring all of its runs in its last three trips to the plate, the Southern Vermont College baseball team came from behind to defeat Mount Saint Mary College 9-5 Tuesday night in non-conference action at Shuttleworth Park.
The Knights (11-17) led 5-0 after the top of the sixth, but Southern Vermont (12-16) scored two in the bottom of the inning, one in the seventh, and then six in the eighth to conclude the comeback.
SVC is back in action on Wednesday as the Mountaineers host Norwich University for a 3:30 p.m. non-league first pitch. MSMC concludes its season on Wednesday, visiting SUNY Oneonta for a 4 p.m. non-conference matchup.
Southern Vermont senior center fielder Sal Sciara (Massapequa, N.Y.) went 4-5 with a pair of doubles out of the lead-off spot, scoring two runs and batting in another pair. Senior shortstop Chris Nicastro Jr. (Kenilworth, N.J.) was 2-5 with a double and a triple, adding two RBIs and a run scored to his night's line. Freshman designated hitter Niko D'Agnese (Mahopec, N.Y.) went 2-3 with a walk, two runs scored and two runs batted in while senior right fielder Roland Hernandez (Pico Rivera, Calif.) added a 2-3 showing at the dish, working a walk and knocking in a run.
Mountaineer junior righty Chris Bradt (Glenmont, N.Y.) tallied his first NCAA victory (1-2) after two innings of relief, giving up no runs on just two hits out of the bullpen. Knight junior reliever Kevin Riveiro (Malverne, N.Y.) suffered the loss (0-1) after being responsible for the go-ahead run to reach base in the eighth.
MSMC sophomore shortstop Jimmy Papineau (Pleasant Valley, N.Y.) was 2-3 with a walk and two runs scored while senior first baseman Andrew Conn (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) was 1-5 with a pair of runs batted in. Junior left fielder Matt Cahill (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) tallied a 1-4 showing with a walk and two runs scored in the effort.
The Knights used a lead-off throwing error to get a runner aboard in the bottom of the first, and Cahill then swiped second to get into scoring position. A ground out to the right side advanced the runner 90 feet, and he was able to cross the dish on an ensuing chopper hit once again to Mountaineer junior second baseman RJ Pingitore (Amsterdam, N.Y.).
SVC was able to start the bottom of the second with a pair of singles, but an infield fly preceded the lead Mountaineer being thrown out at home after a double play attempt got the runner at second. MSMC put up two more in the third, the first coming after a one-out double was batted in on another two-bagger slapped down the line in right by Conn. Senior right fielder Ryan Atkins (Wallkill, N.Y.) then came across to score on a fielder's choice to short for the 3-0 lead.
A one-out walk turned into the fourth Knight tally in the following inning with the help of a single by freshman catcher Ryan Hayes (Robbinsville, N.Y.) and a passed ball. A ground out to second brought the lead runner home, putting Mount Saint Mary up by four. MSMC tacked up another in the sixth as a two-out liner up the middle was able to score with a pair of wild pitches and a passed ball.
Southern Vermont got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the frame, Sciara starting the inning with a shot to the outfield that got lost in the lights and fell behind the MSMC center fielder for the Mountaineer captain to make his way to second. Nicastro followed with a ball hit the opposite way, one-hopping its way to the wall in right for a run-scoring double. Another double plated the second SVC run as Hernandez launched one off the bottom of the wall in left to make it a 5-2 ballgame.
The Knights threatened to extend their lead in the top of the seventh, getting the first two hitters on base; but Bradt was able to work out of it to preserve the three-run SVC deficit. Southern Vermont inched closer in the home half of the box, Sciara knocking in D'Agnese with a two-out single poked to right.
MSMC nearly padded its lead in the eighth, once again getting the first two batters aboard before a walk loaded them up with just one out. The next Knight to bat grounded it to a pulled-in Nicastro who collected and threw to the plate in time to get the lead runner, and a fly out to right center got Bradt out of the jam once again.
The bottom of the eighth saw the Mountaineers get their first three batters to reach safely, freshman Austin Teitelbaum (Westhampton, N.Y.) starting things with a long single cranked off the top of the left field fence. Two straight walks followed, loading the pond with no outs. Senior first baseman Cody LaBadia (Howes Cave, N.Y.) then came through with a blooper into shallow center to cut the Knight lead to 5-4. In the next at bat, Fields flew one to deep right center that was tracked down for the out as Pingitore tagged up and came in to score the tying run. MSMC got the second out on an SVC squeeze attempt, but the Mountaineer bats then started to pop for Southern Vermont to take its first lead of the day.
D'Agnese tagged a triple to left center to score a pair, and Sciara followed with a run-scoring double cranked over the left fielder's head. Nicastro continued the big hits, launching the ball to right center for him to motor around with the second SVC triple of the frame that put the Mountaineers on top 9-5. Southern Vermont sophomore Dylan Angelo (Ft. Johnson, N.Y.) came out of the pen and retired the Knight side in order, going 1-2-3 to wrap up the non-conference victory.