Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 MANCHESTER, N.H. – Southern Connecticut State University swept a Northeast-10 baseball doubleheader from 13th-ranked Southern New Hampshire University by scores of 7-4 and 12-4 Sunday afternoon at Penmen Field. The Owls up their record to 15-9-1 overall and 5-5 in the NE-10, while the Penmen are now 20-10 and 6-7 in the league.
In the opener, Brendan O'Brien (East Bridewater, Mass.) was 3-5 at the plate, while Tyler Fortanascio (Oradell, N.J.) and Anthony Aceto (North Providence, R.I.) each recording a pair of hits, with Fortanascio giving the Penmen a 1-0 lead in the third when he led off the frame with a home run to left. Southern Connecticut scored twice in the fourth to take a 2-1 lead, but the Penmen would reclaim the lead in the fifth on a two-run single by Andrew Pezzuto (Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y.).
After tying the game in the sixth, the Owls scored three times in the seventh, taking advantage of four Penmen errors. Southern Connecticut tacked on another run in the eighth before the Penmen got one back in the bottom of the eighth as Matt Boulter (Wrentham, Mass.) led off with a single and scored when Greg Pezzuto (Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y.) reached on an error. SNHU brought the tying run to the plate with one out in the bottom of the ninth after Zach Goldstein (Merrick, N.Y.) reached on an error and O'Brien singled, but Owl reliever Will Meade recorded a strikeout and a fly out to nail down the save.
Rocco Cundari went the first eight innings for SCSU and scattered nine hits while fanning eight before Meade worked the ninth for his first save of the season. Derrick Sylvester (Franklin, N.H.) took the loss for Southern New Hampshire, striking out eight and allowing seven hits, but surrendering six unearned runs.
In the nightcap, Southern Connecticut built an 8-0 lead through six innings, scoring twice in the second, twice in the fourth, once in the fifth and three times in the sixth. The Penmen got on the board in the sixth via a two-run double by Andy Lalli (Lakeville, Mass.) that scored Michael Mastroberti (Ramsey, N.J.) and James McGowan (Mahopac, N.Y.). Mastroberti, who had entered as a defensive replacement in the top of the inning, broke up SCSU starter Pat Egan's no-hit bid one batter earlier with his two-out single to center.
The other two Penmen runs came in the eighth as Tyler Poisson (Rochester, N.H.) doubled to the gap in right-center, bringing in Mastroberti and Peter Parrella (Cranston, R.I.).
Egan went six innings to pick up the win, allowing two hits while fanning three. Stephen Fortuna (Metuchen, N.J.) started and took the loss for Southern New Hampshire, allowing seven hits and seven runs (three earned) in five innings. Mike Speranzella (Southborough, Mass.) allowed seven hits and five unearned runs in his three innings before Kyle Thomas (Lowell, Mass.) worked a scoreless ninth. The Penmen were outhit 15-4 in the nightcap.
Southern New Hampshire returns to action Wednesday afternoon when it travels to Franklin Pierce University for a 3:30 Northeast-10 Northeast Division matchup.
