FORT PIERCE, Fla. – Sophomore righty Bobby Hegarty (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh) tossed a five-inning no-hitter in the second game as The University of Scranton baseball team opened its spring break trip with a sweep of SUNY Maritime, 5-2 and 5-0.
Game 2 – Scranton 5, SUNY Maritime 0
Hegarty allowed just one walk while striking out three in the no-hitter as the game was shortened to five innings due to darkness. He allowed just two base runners – the first on a one-out error in the bottom of the first inning, and the other on a one-out walk in the third. He retired the final seven batters he faced and allowed only three balls to leave the infield.
The no-hitter by Hegarty is only the fourth on record in Scranton baseball history and the first since April 24, 1993, when Chris Lunney held Delaware Valley hitless in the first game of a seven-inning doubleheader.
The Royals (2-1) wasted no time giving Hegarty a lead, scoring four times in the top of the first. Senior designated hitter Michael Ratner (Langhorne, Pa./The Pennington School) had the big blow with a two-out, two-run single while senior right fielder Chase Standen (Newtown Square, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) added an RBI on a bases loaded walk and a run scored on a passed ball.
Scranton added a fifth run in the fourth inning when Ratner walked and eventually scored on an RBI squeeze bunt by freshman catcher Anthony Lambroia (East Northport, N.Y./Commack).
Game 1 – Scranton 5, SUNY Maritime 2
Maritime (5-3) took a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the second, but Scranton fought back with single runs in the second, third and fourth innings. The Royals then scored twice in the fifth for the final margin.
Senior lefty Brian Markowski (Mountain Top, Pa./Crestwood) picked up the win by working the opening six innings, allowing two runs, both earned, on five hits and four walks while striking out nine. He struck out five and allowed just two base runners over his final three innings.
Sophomore righty Zack Papillo (Germantown, Md./Good Counsel) picked up the save by working the final inning, allowing a hit and striking out one.
Freshman left fielder Connor Harding (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal Central) had the go-ahead RBI on a sac fly in the fourth inning, driving in junior third baseman Ian McIntosh (Newtown, Pa./La Salle College H.S.), who finished with two hits, including a double, and two runs.
Harding also had an RBI single in the second inning, senior center fielder Tommy Trotter (Cranford, N.J./Cranford) singled, drove in a run and scored a run, senior second baseman Patrick Mergel (Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic) had an RBI triple and scored a run, and sophomore first baseman Kevin Haag (Ossining, N.Y./Ossining/Bridgton Academy) had an RBI double.
The Royals are back in action on Sunday when they take on Hood in a single game at 2 p.m. in Fort Pierce, Fla.
--ROYALS--