PURCHASE, NY (www.OLDWESTBURYPANTHERS.com) -The SUNY College at Old Westbury baseball team remained undefeated in conference play after sweeping a road doubleheader with 10-8 and 7-2 wins against the Purchase Panthers on Saturday afternoon. Old Westbury (5-12) improves to 4-0 in Skyline Conference action while Purchase (5-4) slipped to 2-2.
Purchase wasted little time getting on the board, scoring Michael Sarni from third off an infield ground out for an early 1-0 lead in the opening frame off Old Westbury starter Arismendy Nunez. Old Westbury tied the game in the third by scoring Kevin Liculoff an infield ground out of their own.
Purchase answered with two runs in the third before Old Westbury tied the game at three with two more runs in the sixth off a two-run double by Brandon Stein.
Purchase added a single run in the bottom of the sixth and Old Westbury matched them in the seventh to once again tie the game.
Old Westbury took the lead for good in the eighth with RBI doubles by Jesse Matos and Licul. Purchase added a single run in the bottom of the eighth to make it a 6-5 game.
Old Westbury erupted for four runs in the ninth; including Stein delivering the eventual game-winning run with an RBI single to score Tommy Ziegen.
In the bottom of the ninth, Purchase scored three runs off closer Alex DiSanto, but were unable to pull off the comeback as DiSanto earned his first save of the season.
Nunez (1-2) picked up his first win of the season after tossing 7.2 innings, striking out five while allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits and three walks.
Licul (2-4, RBI, R, BB, SB) and Stein (2-3, 3 RBI, R, SB) led the offense with two hits each while Ziegen (0-4, BB, SB) scored a career-high three runs and Byron White (1-5, RBI) scored two.
Chris Nast (1-1) was dealt Purchase's loss after surrendering two runs on two hits and three walks in 1.2 innings of relief.
Michael Piekarczyk's 4-for-5 game at the plate, including three RBI and two runs scored led the way for Purchase.
In the finale, Jonathan Pagan singled home Jacob Coners to break the scoring ice for Old Westbury in the third while Purchase matched with an RBI single in their half of the inning to tie the game.
After Coners opened the fifth with a ground out, Old Westbury tallied three staright singles, scoring Nick Yip off Licul's base hit to take the lead for good. Pagan would then score off an error by second baseman Sarni for the eventual game-winner and two batters later, Licul scored off the bat of Ziegen for the final run of the frame.
Old Westbury tacked of three more in the sixth off RBI singles by Yip and Pagan while Licul lifted a sacrifice fly out to left field to push Pagan across home plate to close out the scoring.
Purchase scored one run in the sixth off Ronald Echavarria's RBI double to close within five runs.
Pagan's 4-for-4 game at the plate paced Old Westbury at the plate. Pagan added two runs, two RBI and two stolen bases while Yip hit 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored.
Starter Tim Ingram (2-2) dazzled to record his second win of the season, striking out 14 batters while allowing two runs on four hits in seven innings.
Adam Brant (1-2) was tapped for six runs (four earned) on eight hits and three walks in 5.1 innings to earn Purchase's loss.
NO. 3/4 KEAN COUGARS UP NEXT FOR THE PANTHERS: Old Westbury returns to the diamond on Tuesday (March 25) for a non-conference battle with the No. 3/4 Kean Cougars at 3 p.m. in Old Westbury, New York.