Farmingdale State - 10, Kean - 5
Farmingdale, N.Y. - A five-run eighth inning gave Farmingdale State a 10-5 non-conference victory today over Kean University (8-7). The Rams improved to 1-6 overall with the win, as they now head to Florida tomorrow for their Spring Break trip.
Kean scored a run in the second to go up 1-0. Senior first baseman Sal Taormina (Brooklyn, N.Y.) led off the inning with a double to right center, advanced to third on a groundout and was brought home with a single thru the left side by senior third baseman Andy Lopez (Jackson, N.J.).
The Rams went ahead in the third. With one out, junior catcher Kenneth Johntry (Yaphank, N.Y.) and freshman shortstop Brandon Snow (Owings, Md.) both singled before freshman centerfielder Nick Attardi (Smithtown, N.Y.) walked to load the bases. A Brandon Ernest (Owings, Md.) single through the right side would score Johntry and Snow to give FSC the 2-1 advantage.
In the top of the fourth, another Lopez single would tie the game at 2-2, while Kean regained the lead in the fifth, 4-2, off three hits and an error.
Farmingdale State scored two runs in the bottom of the inning to tie it 4-4. Johntry reached on an error, stole second and came home on an RBI single to left by Attardi. Attardi stole second and was awarded third on an interference call, before scoring on an Ernest single.
A double to left center in the sixth by senior second baseman Ryan Reitmeyer (Lacey Township, N.J.) scored Lopez to put the Cougars ahead 5-4.
In the seventh, Attardi singled up the middle to start the inning, before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ernest. A wild pitch moved Attardi to third and he would score on a bloop single to right by sophomore second baseman Domenic Palumbo (Plainview, N.Y.), tying the game at 5-5.
A two-out single by Snow in the bottom of the eighth would set up the first of a five run inning for Farmingdale State. Snow stole second and was scored by Ernest off a single to centerfield. Two batters later, freshman Ryan Gaffney (Riverhead, N.Y.) notched a pinch-hit two RBI single to right, scoring Ernest and Attardi. The fourth run was scored on a double-steal, as freshman Michael Lynch (Massapequa Park, N.Y.) stole second and Gigante stole home. The final run of the inning came in on a Palumbo single.
Rams junior right hander Matt Seelinger (Westbury, N.Y.) closed the game with a 1-2-3 ninth inning to secure the 10-5 non-conference victory.
Freshman Kenneth Simco (Calverton, N.Y.) improved to 1-2 after he shutdown the Cougars over two innings without allowing a base runner. Ernest finished with a team-high four RBI's (3-for-4), while Attardi went 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.
The Rams will open play at the RussMatt Invitational in Winter Haven, Florida against Keene State on Friday, March 18th at 12:30 p.m. Live audio will be available for the game at http://portal.stretchinternet.com/keene/.
Check the Rams schedule for live coverage down in Florida.
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