Farmingdale, N.Y. – The Farmingdale State baseball team fell 9-2 to visiting Western New England College (1-0) today in the home opener and first game of the 2011 Farmingdale State Baseball Tournament, in which the Rams (4-3) will host five teams from the Northeast this weekend. Joining WNEC (Mass.) at the three-day tournament is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (N.Y.), St. Joseph's (L.I.), Keene State (N.H.) and Cortland State (N.Y.).
The first inning saw five walks and a pitching change from the Farmingdale State bullpen and allowed the Golden Bears to score four runs on one hit and one error in the top of the inning. The Rams chipped away with a run in the bottom of the inning, as senior centerfielder Frank Yera (Manhattan, N.Y.) scored from third base on a double-play ball for a 4-1 score after one. Both teams went 1-2-3 and out in the second inning, before two extra-base hits gave WNEC a 5-1 edge. A single to right center from sophomore rightfielder Terrence Bohonan (Patchogue, N.Y.) would score senior shortstop Brandon Cruz (Bronx, N.Y.) for a 5-2 score after three innings.
Junior right hander C.J. Bula (Bronx, N.Y.) was called in at the top of the fourth and went the next four innings allowing just two hits and one earned run to hold the Golden Bears, but the Rams could not muster up any offense as WNEC senior right hander Matt Rogers (Portsmouth, R.I.) went seven innings for his first win of the year.
Western New England was led by junior first baseman Mike Taylor (Andover, Mass.) who was 3-for-4 with one run batted in. Sophomore second baseman Mike Rubino (Northford, Conn.) and senior centerfielder Andrew Fatse (Hampden, Mass.) both finished with two hits and two RBI's.
For Farmingdale State, Bohonan went 3-for-4 with an RBI and senior first baseman Kevin Curtis (Riverhead, N.Y.) was 2-for-4 with one RBI. Cruz was 3-for-3 for the day. Senior left hander J.R. Lott (East Islip, N.Y.) threw three innings of relief, allowing just one run and two hits.
Keene State faces St. Joseph's in the 5:00 p.m. game tonight, before facing the Rams in the 10:00 a.m. game on Saturday, March 5th. St. Joseph's will then face Cortland at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, followed by RPI vs. Western New England.