April 9, 2008

Box Score

NEWARK, NJ - Visiting Saint Joseph's (PA) scored 11 times in the third inning and it was more than enough for the Hawks to subdue NJIT, 14-5, in Wednesday afternoon baseball at Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium.

NJIT led through the first two innings, 1-0, but Saint Joe's exploded in the third sending 16 men to the plate and scoring 11 runs on seven hits, with two NJIT errors, plus one passed ball and two wild pitches.

The visitors expanded their lead to 14-1 with a run in the fourth inning and two more in the fifth, before Highlander relievers RHP Spiro Molfetas and LHP Cory Kuzmik quieted things down by blanking Saint Joe's over the last four innings.

Molfetas and Kuzmik combined to allow two runs (one earned) over the last 5.2 innings and Kuzmik struck out the side in the top of the ninth in his one inning of work.

LHP Matt Melody (0-1) started and lost for the Highlanders, allowing six earned runs in two innings. He was the first of five NJIT pitchers.

Saint Joseph's freshman starter RHP Bryan Penalo (1-0), the first of four Hawks pitchers, got the win with five innings of three-hit, one-run ball. He struck out six and walked three.

DH Dewey Oriente (3-for-5, with two doubles) was the top hitter for Saint Joseph's, which also got two hits apiece from three other players, led by Brian Hartsell, who was 2-for-5, with three runs batted in. Oriente, David Valesente and Mike Coleman all drove home two runs each.

For NJIT, freshman RF Dom Hayes was 3-for-5, with a run and an RBI and sophomore 1B Kyle McCarthy came off the bench to go 2-for-3 with two runs batted in.

NJIT got on the board first, James D'Aloia walked and stole second in front of a two-out RBI single by Hayes.

The slim lead held until the big third inning that began with a double by Oriente and included a two-run single by Valesente, as the Hawks tore through three NJIT pitchers.

The Highlanders scored three in the bottom of the eighth inning. Hayes led off with a single, 2B Dan Morogiello reached on an error and C Chris Cardone walked to load the bases with one out, before McCarthy doubled home two runs. SS Miguel Lugo singled to drive in Cardone with the third run of the inning.

NJIT's next scheduled action is a doubleheader set for Saturday at 1 pm against Vermont in Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium.