Phelan and the Rams Shut Down Keene State
Farmingdale State - 5, Keene State - 1
Farmingdale, N.Y. – A seven and two-thirds inning outing for junior right hander Chris Phelan (Patchogue, N.Y.) and ten hits for the Rams, scoring one run in five consecutive innings, would give Farmingdale State (5-3) a 5-1 victory over visiting Keene State (1-1) today in day two of the Farmingdale State Baseball Tournament.
After a scoreless first inning, Keene State struck first with a double to right center and then a single up the middle from sophomore left fielder Greg Bates (Salem, N.H.), scoring junior designated hitter Larry Longo (Londonderry, N.H.) for the 1-0 lead. The Owls made a pitching change early, but Farmingdale was able to get the run back, tying the game at 1-1. After junior second baseman Ryan McAllister (Miller Place, N.Y.) single, he stole second. Junior third baseman Ryan Theiss (Deer Park, N.Y.) followed with a single to right center, which advanced McAllister to third. He scored with some smart base running, while Theiss was in a pickle between first and second on a failed pickoff attempt.
Rams went ahead in the bottom of the third started off by a sophomore designated hitter David Zilnicki (Riverhead, N.Y.) walk. He was moved over to second on freshman left fielder Anthony Ferrante's (Holtsville, N.Y.) single, and then to third on a groundout. Sophomore right fielder Terrence Bohonan (Patchogue, N.Y.) brought in the go-ahead run with a groundout to second.
In the fourth with one out, McAllister reached on an error and advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt (error) by Keene State. He came around to give the Rams a two-run lead, 3-1, on a single down the right field line by sophomore shortstop Ron Remi (Massapequa, N.Y.).
In the fifth, Ferrante triple to left to start off the inning and senior first baseman Kevin Curtis (Riverhead, N.Y.) singled to center to bring him home and make it 4-1. The Rams loaded up the bases, but a 5-2-3 double play by Keene would end the inning.
Ferrante brought in another Farmingdale State run in the sixth with a two-out single to right field to score Bohonan from second base for the 5-1 advantage. The final three innings were scoreless as Phelan went 7.2 innings for his second win of the season (2-1), allowing 5 hits and striking out three. Freshman right hander Chris Dragone (Hicksville, N.Y.) pitched well into the eighth, until a two-out line drive to his hand would take him out of the game. Sophomore right hander Drew Dallanegra (Shoreham, N.Y.) came in for the final out, forcing a groundout to secure the Rams victory.
Keene State used six pitchers throughout, allowing 10 hits with three fielding errors. Senior left hander Eddie LaCourse (Manchester, N.H.) got the loss (0-1) throwing 2.2 innings, allowing five hits and three runs (two earned) with a walk and two strikeouts.
The Rams are now scheduled to face #16 Cortland State on Sunday, March 6th at 1:00 p.m. Other games on Sunday, barring inclement weather, will be a 10:00 a.m. match-up between RPI and St. Joe's, and a 4:00 p.m. outing between Keene State and Western New England.
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