THOMASVILLE, NC (www.OLDWESTBURYPANTHERS.com) - The SUNY College at Old Westbury baseball team opened the season by falling 7-4 and 13-3 to the Frostburg State Bobcats Saturday afternoon in Thomasville, North Carolina. Old Westbury (0-2) and Frostburg State (2-0) will conclude a four-game series on Sunday with a doubleheader starting at 10 a.m.
Jacob Coners supplied the fireworks to hit a leadoff homer in Old Westbury's first at bat of the season in the opener for an early 1-0 lead. Frostburg State tied the game by advancing Kam Stewart home on a failed attempt throw out Kevin Kean on a stolen base at second. Kevin Licul powered the Panthers to a 2-1 lead in the second inning with his second career home run. Ricky Castro doubled home two Bobcats in the home half of the second inning as Frostburg State scored four runs off six hits in the frame to take a 5-2 advantage. Following a leadoff double and a stolen base by Jonathan Pagan, Licul stroked a double to drive in Old Westbury's third in the fourth inning. Down 6-3 heading into the top of the fifth, Christian Faust singled home Coners for the fourth and final Panther run of the game as the Bobcats would tack on another run in the sixth to earn a 7-4 final in the opener.
Licul (2-3, 2 RBI, 2B, R) and Coners (1-3, 2 R, RBI) combined to hit four of Old Westbury's six hits in the opener. Frostburg State totaled 14 hits and registered three players with three-hit performances.
Panther starter Arismendy Nunez (0-1) was tagged with the loss, allowing 11 hits, five earned runs in four innings pitched. Austin Poretz (1-0) picked up the Bobcats' win and Kyle McCormack earned two inning save.
Old Westbury opened game two with another productive first inning. Coners led off with a single, followed by base hits by Nick Yip and Pagan to load the bases for Licul, who delivered a three-run double. John Angelino then singled to move Licul over to third. Both were stranded after a strikeout by Carlos Balmaceda and Angelino was caught stealing third. Frostburg State replied with three runs in the first and two more in the second to hold a 5-3 lead. The Bobcats added two more in the fifth and a big six-run sixth inning to pull away with a 13-3 victory.
Licul once again carried the Panther offense with a 2-for-3 game at the plate, driving in a career-high three runs. Angelino also added his 29th career multi-hit game, finishing with two hits in three trips to the plate. Kean produced the Bobcats' lone multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-3 with two RBI, three runs scored to go with two stolen bases.
Panther starter Tim Ingram (0-1) took the loss, giving up five earned runs on five hits and four walks in 4.1 innings of work. Kenny Georgius (1-0) snagged the win for Frostburg State after tossing six innings with seven strikeouts.
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