FLEMINGTON, N.J.—David Giglio (Wallingford, Conn./Xavier) opened his senior year in style, leading The University of Scranton to a season-opening sweep of Cazenovia College Saturday afternoon at Diamond Nation.
Giglio blasted a grand slam in the opener as the Royals cruised to a 14-1 victory. In the nightcap, he drove in senior Chris Stallone (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) with the game-winning run with a single in the bottom of the seventh inning as Scranton overcame an 8-3 deficit to pull out a 10-9 win.
In two games, Giglio finished with four hits and drove in seven runs. He was, however, far from the only hero for the Royals today.
Senior catcher Chris Velazquez (Pomona, N.Y./Albertus Magnus) delivered a two-out double in the bottom of the sixth to drive in two runs to cap off a six-run rally that gave Scranton a 9-8 lead in the bottom of the sixth. Sophomore designated hitter Greg Monastra (West Chester, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) also belted a two-run home run during the frame and junior infielder Jesse Outhouse (Croton Falls, N.Y./North Salem) delivered an RBI double prior to Monastra's blast over the left-field fence.
Then there was freshman relief pitcher Christopher Rom (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh), who came on in the top of seventh inning with runners on first and second and no outs. After a successful bunt moved the runners into scoring position, Rom induced a sacrifice fly and a ground out to end the inning and allow only one run.
In the opener, the Royals jumped out to an 8-0 lead after the first two innings and got five solid innings out of junior pitcher Rocky Sawyer (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty), who struck out nine and scattered three hits to pick up the victory.
Outhouse hit a two-run home run during a three-run rally in the second and he, Giglio, Stallone, Monastra and sophomore infielder Tim LeCompte (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) paced the Royals' 14-hit attack with two hits apiece.
In the nightcap, junior infielder Matt Rayha (Willow Street, Pa./Penn Manor) drove in two runs with a double and scored twice as Scranton finished with eight hits.
The Royals, now 2-0, will take on Widener University tomorrow afternoon in a 7-inning non-conference doubleheader in Chester, Pennsylvania, beginning at 12:00 p.m.
News & Notes: Giglio's home run was the sixth of his career…Stallone finished with three hits today to raise his career batting average to .409; he also one hit shy of 150 for his career…although he did not record a save, senior pitcher Mike Yasson (Stony Brook, N.Y./Ward Melville) came on in relief of Sawyer in the first game and struck out two batters and did not allow a run in two innings…Monastra's home run was the second of his career and Outhouse's was his first.