TUCSON, Ariz. — The Southern Vermont College baseball team continued its participation in the Tucson Invitational Games on Tuesday, falling 10-5 and 17-0 to Dickinson State University at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium.
SVC trailed just 6-5 going into the final inning of the evening's first contest, but the Blue Hawks rallied for four runs in the seventh and kept the Mountaineers from staging a comeback in the bottom of the frame to grab the first victory. Dickinson State carried its momentum into the nightcap, going up 8-0 after the second and extending its lead over the next three innings while keeping Southern Vermont off the board.
The Mountaineers (3-8) finish their stay in the Grand Canyon State on Wednesday with a single 8:30 a.m. (MST) first pitch against Augsburg College.
GAME 1: Dickinson State 10, Southern Vermont 5
The Blue Hawks scratched across a run in the top of the first to gain the early upper hand, only to see Southern Vermont respond with one of its own in the bottom of the frame to tie things up. The 1-1 score held until the fifth when Dickinson put up a five-spot, but the Mountaineers were able to cut into their deficit with four in the home half of the box to get within one. DSU extended its separation with four in the seventh, then keeping SVC from making a comeback to close out the win.
Southern Vermont freshman center fielder Zack Stacey (Saratoga, N.Y.) went 2-4 with two runs in the effort, tagging a double to lead-off the bottom of the first. Sophomore third baseman John Arancio (Oradell, N.J.) went 2-3 with the stick, adding a run scored and a stolen base to his line. Senior infielder RJ Pingitore (Perth, N.Y.) was 1-3 with a run scored and two RBIs, extending his hitting streak to a season-best six games for the team, while junior right fielder Niko Horwith (La Crescenta, Calif.) tallied a 1-3 showing at the plate with a walk and an RBI double.
Mountaineer freshman Ryan Richards (Beaumont, Calif.) took the loss from the hill with his first collegiate start (0-1), striking out two on the day.
Dickinson State struck first in the opening box after a lead-off single got moved around to third as a liner went off the glove of a fully-extended Pingitore and into the outfield. A double play ensued, but it allowed the Blue Hawk runner to scamper home with the first run of the day.
Southern Vermont would not trail for long as the Mountaineers came right back in the bottom of the inning. Stacey slapped one the opposite way down the line in right, motoring around to second to get into scoring position with no outs. Pingitore was able to move his teammate up to third, and a Dickinson pitch sent to the backstop then made way for Stacey to touch the dish and tie the game.
Both teams went down in order in the second and stranded a lone runner in the third. The Blue Hawks got a runner to second in the top of the fourth and appeared to have a chance to score as the next batter sent one up the middle; but Pingitore ranged a long way to his left, scooped the ball and made a stellar spin-and-throw to first to retire the side.
The bats would get rolling on both sides in the fifth as each team registered six hits during its at bat. Dickinson started the frame with five runs, scoring two before SVC got an out. The Blue Hawks notched a pair of doubles in the inning to go on top 6-1.
Not to be deterred, SVC had an answer in the home half of the frame. Arancio sent one up the middle to lead-off the inning with a single, and sophomore second baseman Niko D'Agnese (Mahopac, N.Y.) followed with a seeing-eye hit through the left side to get a pair on the pond. The Mountaineers' momentum would be stalled as Dickinson was able to turn a double play, leaving Arancio at third with two down. That wouldn't stop Southern Vermont from scoring, however, as sophomore left fielder Luigi Magliocca (Broadalbin, N.Y.) ripped one through the left side to make it a 6-2 ballgame.
The fifth would be extended with a Blue Hawk fielding error that put SVC runners on first and second, and a subsequent wild pitch then advanced both of them 90 feet. Pingitore stepped up and kept the low hits coming as he singled through the left side to bring in both Mountaineers on base. Horwith followed with a towering double to straight-away center, bringing home Pingitore to cut it down to a 6-5 Southern Vermont deficit.
After Arancio made a spectacular diving snag to end the top of the sixth, he led-off the bottom of the inning with a single and then got moved around to third. He would be caught heading for home on a grounder to third, however, as the Blue Hawks erased the threat and got back into the dugout. That's when Dickinson went up for good, scoring four runs on four hits and the help of a Mountaineer fielding miscue for the 10-5 lead. SVC worked two runners on in the bottom of the seventh, but they would be left on the base paths as DSU finished off the front-end win.
GAME 2: Dickinson State 17, Southern Vermont 0
The Blue Hawks didn't waste time in taking the lead in game two, scoring three in the first before adding another five in the second. The Dickinson runs continued with five in the third and four more over the next two innings as the DSU pitching and defense kept the Mountaineer bats at bay.
Arancio went 1-2 at the plate, and he took a pitch to the body to get on board a second time. D'Agnese added a stolen base for SVC while Pingitore and Magliocca also got on via plunks.
Southern Vermont freshman Joe Braim (Schuylerville, N.Y.) took the loss from the bump (0-2) in his first collegiate start.
Dickinson tacked up three runs in the bottom of the first on three hits and an SVC error, getting all that it needed for the win. Magliocca took his hit by pitch in the third to break up the Blue Hawk starter's perfect game, and Arancio then ended the bid for the no-hitter in the fourth with a single up the middle. Arancio's base knock put Mountaineers at first and second, but DSU was able to end the inning to keep Southern Vermont from scoring.
D'Agnese reached base on a Dickinson error in the fifth and stole second to get into scoring position, but he, too, would be stranded to keep the shutout intact. Pingitore and Arancio each took pitches to the body in the sixth to get another pair of runners on for SVC, only to have the Blue Hawks once again work out of it and end the inning.
Meanwhile, DSU kept padding its lead with each turn at the plate until the sixth, by then having a big enough lead to carry through the seventh for the day's sweep.