Game 1: Farmingdale State - 4, Baruch - 0
Game 2: Farmingdale State - 6, Baruch - 5 (F/9)
Farmingdale, N.Y. - In game one, FSC senior pitcher Matt Seelinger (Westbury, N.Y.) tossed a complete game shutout as the Rams earned a 4-0 victory over Baruch. In the bottom of the ninth in game two, senior first baseman Dalton McCarthy (Manorville, N.Y.) hit a walk-off RBI single, leading Farmingdale State to a 6-5 win and doubleheader sweep.
The FSC baseball team improved to 17-12, while the Bearcats fell to 9-12.
After giving up a leadoff single, Seelinger retired the next nine batters as the game went to the bottom of the third inning scoreless.
In the third, freshman center fielder Cam Alfano (Yaphank, N.Y.) hit a single, freshman left fielder Vincent Rice (Massapequa Park, N.Y.) walked and McCarthy hit a single to drive in Alfano and give the Rams a 1-0 lead.
In the next half inning, the first two batters reached base safely against Seelinger, but he was able to strike out a pair before getting a lineout to third base to escape the jam.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Rams loaded the bases for junior second baseman Domenic Palumbo (Plainview, N.Y.) who hit a single through the left side to plate two runs. During the next at-bat, a double-steal attempt allowed designated hitter Joseph Roche (Westbury, N.Y.) to score and give FSC a 4-0 advantage.
With two on and no outs in the bottom of the sixth, freshman catcher Anthony Sirianni (Sayville, N.Y.) sacrificed the runners over to second and third. The next two batters were retired by freshman relief pitcher Nicholas D'Angelo (Mineola, N.Y.) to maintain the four-run deficit.
In the seventh, Seelinger pitched a 1-2-3 inning forcing a fly out to lead off before striking out the final two batters of the game for the shutout.
Seelinger struck out nine batters, while only allowing five total base runners in the game.
McCarthy was 1-for-2 with a walk, run scored and an RBI, while Rice was 1-for-2 with a walk.
Baruch was led by senior designated hitter Jasdeep Buttar (Edison, N.J.) who went 1-for-2 with a walk.
In the second inning of game two, the Bearcats loaded the bases on an error and two singles. Freshman pitcher Joe Marino (Islip Terrace, N.Y.) struck out the next batter, but then gave up a single to senior catcher Sean McNamara (Howell, N.J.) as Baruch took a 1-0 lead. Later in the inning, a failed pickoff attempt allowed another Bearcats run to score as they went ahead, 2-0.
After being held to just one hit over the first two innings by sophomore Ryan Warner (Massapequa Park, N.Y.), Rams sophomore shortstop Anthony Gigante (Bedford Hills, N.Y.) led off the inning with a triple to right center and was driven in on a Justin Norcini (Levittown, N.Y.) RBI single to center. A sacrifice bunt by Sirianni moved Norcini to second, before sophomore right fielder Nick Attardi (Smithtown, N.Y.) hit FSC's second triple of the inning down the right field line to tie the game, 2-2. Attardi later scored on a wild pitch to give Farmingdale State a 3-2 advantage.
In the next half inning, Baruch scored three runs to retake the lead, 5-3. Junior designated hitter Donovan Hunt (Kings Park, N.Y.) and freshman center fielder Matthew Donofrio (Massapequa Park, N.Y.) hit run-scoring singles for the Bearcats
In the bottom of the seventh inning with bases loaded and Farmingdale down to their final out, McCarthy hit a two-run single to center field to tie the game at 5-5.
In the bottom of the ninth, Roche hit a one-out single to second and advanced to second base on a Rice single through the left side. McCarthy followed with the game-winning RBI single through the right side which scored Roche and gave FSC the 6-5 victory.
McCarthy was 2-for-4 with a game-high 3 RBI, while Roche had two hits and scored two runs. Sophomore Joe D'Arco (Plainview, N.Y.) earned the victory after pitching a scoreless top of the ninth.
For Baruch, Hunt led the way after going 3-for-4 at the plate with a run scored and 2 RBI.
The Rams next travel to Ridgefield Park to face Yeshiva in a conference doubleheader on Friday, April 21st at 10:00 a.m.
*****