FARMINGDALE, NY (www.OLDWESTBURYPANTHERS.com) - The SUNY College at Old Westbury baseball team picked up a pair of wins as they swept the Yeshiva Maccebees 15-0 and 36-0 in the Panthers' Skyline Conference opener Friday in Farmingdale.
Old Westbury jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back. Matteo Gaudio broke the scoring ice by drawing a walk, stealing second and third followed by a balk that sent him across home plate. Tommy Ziegen led off Old Westbury's half of the second with a double to set the table. Mike Cardino then doubled in Ziegen to make it a two-run game. Two batters later, Jacob Coners extended his hitting streak to nine games with a two-run single. Byron White tripled to lead off the third and scored off a Ziegen sacrifice fly to score one of two Panther runs in the frame. Old Westbury tacked on a single run in the fourth, five more in the fifth and three in the sixth to close out the scoring.
Coners (2-4, 3 RBI, R), White (2-3, 2 RBI, R, SB), Cardino (2-3, 3 R, RBI) and Jonathan Pagan (2-3, 2 RBI, 2 R, 4 SB, 2 BB) led the way with multi-hit performances while Jesse Matos (1-1, RBI, 3 BB, SB) added three stolen bases.
Starter Nick Dorcean worked five innings, allowing one hit while striking out eight to record his first career win. Reliever Tyler Kapela worked two hitless innings to secure the combined one hit shutout.
Samuel Rhodes collected Yeshiva's lone hit of the game with a leadoff single in the fifth inning after Dorcean retired 12 straight.
Yeshiva starter Elan Paul (0-1) took the loss, giving up 11 runs (10 earned) on nine hits and six walks.
In the finale, Coners once again sparked the Panthers with a leadoff triple in the first inning followed by a Cardino sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead. 12 more Panthers would cross the plate off 10 hits in the opening frame including a two-run job by Nick Yip. Old Westbury came back with a nine-run second inning, three more in the third, four in the fourth and seven in the sixth to cap the scoring. Yip added a second homer in the second that drove in three runs while Ziegen followed with a solo to combine for back-to-back big flies. Alexander Abanavas then pelted a grand-slam as part of the big sixth inning.
Coners finished the game hitting 4-for-6 with a career-high four runs scored to go along with two RBI to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. White hit 4-for-4 with four RBI and four runs scored while Pagan (3-4, 3 R, RBI, 2 SB), Yip (3-3, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 4 R), Jesse Matos (3-3, 3 R, RBI) and Thomas Whitenack (3-5, 2 R, RBI, SB) totaled three hit performances and Cardino (2-4, 3 RBI, 3 R), Ziegen (2-4, HR, 2 R, 2 SB) and Abanavas (2-3, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R) added two-hit games.
Panther starter James Scagnelli (1-0) pitched his way to his first win of the season, striking out three and allowing two hits over four innings of work. Reliever James Wipperman recorded his first career save by sitting down seven on strikes in three innings.
Yeshiva starter Mendel Osdoba (0-1) was dealt the loss after surrendering 18 runs (nine earned) on 13 hits 1.2 innings.
BATES BOBCATS UP NEXT FOR THE PANTHERS: Old Westbury returns to the diamond on Saturday (March 15) for a non-conference doubleheader with the Bates Bobcats in Yaphank, New York. First pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m. from Baseball Heaven.
For the latest news on the Panthers, log on to www.oldwestburypanthers.com – the official site of Old Westbury athletics. Also, become a follower of the Panthers on Twitter (OW_Panthers) and "LIKE" Us on Facebook (Old Westbury Panthers Athletics / Old Westbury Athletics Alumni).