Game 1: Farmingdale State - 4, Purchase College - 2 (9-inning)
Game 2: Farmingdale State - 4, Purchase College - 0 (7-inning)
Farmingdale, N.Y. - The Farmingdale State baseball team secured home field advantage for the upcoming playoffs with a 4-2 and 4-0 victory over Purchase College today in Farmingdale, N.Y. The wins improved the Rams record to 23-9 overall, 15-1 in conference play, while the Panthers fall to 18-12, 10-2 Skyline.
Game 1
Both teams stranded two runners on base in the first, but Purchase jumped ahead 1-0 in the third with an unearned run on an RBI groundout by senior left fielder Justin Sherman (New Rochelle, N.Y.).
In the fourth, Farmingdale State scored two for the 2-1 lead. Senior first baseman Ron Remi (Massapequa, N.Y.) reached on an error and moved to second on a sac bunt by pinch hitter Justin Steigerwald (Holbrook, N.Y.). Senior catcher Eric Wiener (Deer Park, N.Y.) drove in the game-tying run with a single to right, scoring Remi who slid past a play at the plate.
Wiener stole second and came home on a single to left by junior second baseman Sal Sanquini (Levittown, N.Y.). The Rams scored two more in the sixth for the 4-1 lead, thanks to another RBI single from Wiener and a sac bunt from Sanquini to score freshman third baseman Jorge Ruiz (Shirley, N.Y.).
In the top of the 9th, the Panthers' senior first baseman Daniel Stroud (Nyack, N.Y.) hit a one-out single to center and was followed by a double to right field by Sherman. Junior third baseman Michael Skoller (East Meadow, N.Y.) singled through the right side to score Stroud from third, making it 4-2 Farmingdale with two outs.
Freshman Matthew Fick (Commack, N.Y.) relieved Weingarten with the game-tying run at the plate and forced a pop up to secure the victory and record his second save of the season.
Junior Michael Dolce (St. James, N.Y.) improved to 5-0 with a 5.2 inning outing, striking out five with no earned runs. Freshman Alex Weingarten (East Rockaway, N.Y.) entered in the sixth and pitched three innings allowing no runs for the Rams.
For the Rams offensively, Wiener finished 3-for-4 with two RBI's, one stolen base and one run scored. Senior outfielder David Zilnicki went 2-for-3 with two walks and three stolen bases. Sanquini was 2-for-2 with two RBI's.
Game 2
Senior pitcher Anthony Eilers (Bay Shore, N.Y.) pitched a complete game shutout in game two, allowing four hits and a walk, while striking out eight. Eilers improved to 3-2 on the season with the win.
The Rams went up 1-0 in the first with a double steal as freshman left fielder Dalton McCarthy (Manorville, N.Y.) stole second and Zilnicki stole home. In the third, Zilnicki scored again, for a 2-0 lead, on a McCarthy single to second.
In the sixth, Zilnicki led off with a single, moved to second on a balk and would score his third run of the day off a single from sophomore shortstop Anthony Alvino (Linenhurst, N.Y.). Alvino scored on an RBI groundout by senior right fielder Terrence Bohonan (Patchogue, N.Y.).
Zilnicki finished the game 3-for-3 with three runs and two stolen bases. McCarthy was 1-for-1 with a walk, RBI and three stolen bases.
Next up for Farmingdale State is a doubleheader with Shenandoah at home on Sunday, April 21st at Noon.
The Skyline Playoffs will now be hosted at Farmingdale State on May 3-5, with the winner advancing to the NCAA Tournament's New York Regional on May 15-18.
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