TUCSON, Ariz. — In its second day of playing in the Tucson Invitational Games at the Kino Sports Complex, the Southern Vermont College baseball team fell 12-7 and 5-1 to the hands of Macalester College Sunday afternoon.
MC grabbed 4-0 leads in the first inning of each game and never relinquished its advantages the rest of the way. SVC scored in the last five innings of the twin bill's opener to cut the deficit, but the Mountaineers could not completely overcome the Scots' upper hand in the end. Runs were scarce in the second game of the afternoon as neither side crossed the plate after Southern Vermont put up its run in the bottom of the fourth; Macalester once again held on to close out the day's sweep.
SVC falls to 3-6 on the year with the pair of losses. The Mountaineers are off Monday, resuming their participation in the Games on Tuesday with a doubleheader against Dickinson State University starting at 3 p.m. (MST).
Game 1: Macalester 12, Southern Vermont 7
After the Scots tacked up their four runs in the bottom of the first in game one of the doubleheader, MC took to an 8-1 lead after the third. SVC came right back with two of its own to cut the gap down to five, only to see Macalester respond with three in the home half of the inning to make it an 11-3 ballgame.
The Mountaineer bats persisted and put up one in the fifth and another pair in the sixth, sending the game to the final frame with MC ahead 12-6. Southern Vermont scratched across one more in the top of the seventh, but that would be it as the Scots put away their first victory of the season.
SVC senior shortstop RJ Pingitore (Perth, N.Y.) went 3-4 at the dish with three RBIs and a run scored, adding a stolen base to his day's line. Freshman center fielder Zack Stacey (Saratoga, N.Y.) was 1-2 with a pair of walks, one run scored and two runs batted in from the leadoff spot, and junior designated hitter Niko Horwith (La Crescenta, Calif.) registered a 3-4 showing with two doubles, two runs scored and an RBI. Junior catcher Anthony Mercuri (Ridge, N.Y.) also had a multi-hit game, going 2-4 in the effort.
Mountaineer sophomore right-hander Jean-Carlos Berasgoico (New York City, N.Y.) suffered his first loss of the season (1-1) after giving up eight runs (four earned) with the start.
Stacey made it to second base in the top of the first with a walk and a wild pitch, but he would be stranded there before the Scots put up their four-spot on five hits in the bottom half of the box. SVC would leave another runner on in the second, and Macalester then threatened to pad its lead by getting runners to second and third with two down. Berasgoico took a come-backer off the leg, but he was able to collect the ball and toss it over to first to retire the side.
Southern Vermont got on the scoreboard in the third when Stacey worked his second straight walk and moved up 90 feet on an ensuing base on balls. The two Mountaineer runners were awarded their next base on an MC balk, allowing Pingitore to step up and bring in the run; he made a fully-extended reach on an outside pitch, slapping it through the right side of the infield to plate Stacey and make it a 4-1 game.
The Scots would come right back with an answer, however, as they utilized a hit and a Mountaineer miscue to push their lead out to 8-1. SVC then inched back in the top of the fourth with two more after loading the bases with two outs; Stacey lined one right up the middle, allowing the two lead runners to come around and score.
But once again, Macalester responded to increase its separation in the next box. The Scots benefited from two SVC misplays and a balk with runners at the corners, scoring three runs on just two hits to take an 11-3 lead. Pingitore led-off the top of the fifth with a hard hit ball through the left side of the infield, and he then stole second to get into scoring position. Horwith tagged his first double of the day to the gap in left-center, bringing in the senior captain for Southern Vermont's fourth run.
The seven-run Mountaineer deficit would not last long as Macalester came back with one of its own in the bottom of the inning, rallying for three straight two-out hits to open it up to a 12-4 advantage. The scoring continued into the next half frame when Pingitore came to the plate with two ducks on the pond and two outs; he roped a double to left-center, allowing his two teammates on the base paths to touch home and get it to a 12-6 contest.
That tally would hold through a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth before SVC attempted to make a big comeback. Horwith started the inning with his second double sent out to left, but a subsequent walk was then followed by a Macalester double play as he moved to third with two down. Freshman first baseman Rob Spatafore (Mahopac, N.Y.) singled down to third to score Horwith, only to have MC wrap it up with a final ground out for the win.
Game 2: Macalester 5, Southern Vermont 1
Macalester jumped out again with a quick four runs in the first inning of game two, adding another in the top of the second to take a 5-0 lead. SVC got on the board with a lone tally in the fourth, and that 5-1 score would be maintained by both sides through the remainder of the day-cap as the Scots sealed their second victory.
The Macalester pitching was able to keep Southern Vermont off the base paths for the most part, limiting the Mountaineers to just four hits and three walks. SVC freshman catcher Dan Mason (Bloomingdale, N.J.) went 1-2 with an RBI while Mercuri was 1-3 with the run scored. Stacey added another hit to his day, and sophomore third baseman John Arancio (Oradell, N.J.) got on twice with a pair of walks.
Mountaineer junior right-handed starter Joshua Hay (South Glens Falls, N.Y.) was strapped with the loss (0-2) despite striking out six in his five innings of work. Senior righty Chris Bradt (Ballston Spa, N.Y.) came on in relief, giving up just two hits in the final two innings of play.
MC started off hot, going up 4-0 with the help of a two-run homer in the top of the first. Pingitore singled to center to get aboard in the bottom of the inning, but he would be left on base as Macalester got back into the dugout. The Scots added another score in the second when an SVC error came around to score on a base hit to right field, putting MC on top 5-0.
SVC worked two walks in the home half of the second to no avail before Macalester threatened to pad its lead in the third by getting runners to the corners with no outs. A bunt attempt on the next plate appearance would be run into by the Scot batter outside of the box for an interference call, and Hay then induced an inning-ending double play, started by Pingitore at short, to get out of it.
After Southern Vermont went down in order in the bottom of the third, MC nearly had something going once again. With a runner on first and two outs, a ball was hit sharply to the right side of the diamond; Mountaineer freshman first baseman Cody Sullivan (Brunswick, N.Y.) made a diving effort and got his glove on the ball, deflecting it towards sophomore second baseman Niko D'Agnese (Mahopac, N.Y.). D'Agnese collected it at the back edge of the dirt and tossed to Sullivan just in time to record the out and bring SVC back up to the plate.
That's when Southern Vermont took to the scoreboard and trimmed its deficit to four. Mercuri started things with a single through the left side, and an Arancio walk put a pair on for Mason. He pulled one into right field, bringing home the lead runner to make it a 5-1 game. That would be the last score of the game, however, as neither side could manufacture any more runs the rest of the way.
MC loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth, but Hay retired the side with his sixth strikeout to get out of the jam. Stacey got on board again in the bottom of the inning and stole his second base od the day to get into scoring position; he would also be stranded as the game went to the sixth. Macalester left a runner on base in its final two at bats, giving SVC one final chance still down four. Mason took a pitch to the body to lead-off the bottom of the seventh, only to be erased with a double play ball. Stacey extended the inning by beating out a grounder hit to third, but the Scots closed it out with a fly ball to left to finish the sweep.