La PLUME, Pa.—Keystone College's goal of going undefeated in the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) ended today with an 11-6 loss to Gwynedd Mercy University in the first of a two-game series at Christy Mathewson Field.
And the Griffins did it in convincing fashion, smashing three home runs and five doubles to snap the Giants' 11-game winning streak. Gwynedd Mercy also received a solid pitching performance from junior Bryan Kaelin, who came on in relief of starter Nick DeRitis and held the Giants to three runs in four and 1/3 innings of work to pick up the victory and help the Griffins improve to 16-11 overall and 10-3 in the CSAC.
The loss dropped the Giants to 26-8 overall and 14-1 in league play. The two teams will play the final game of the series Wednesday afternoon in Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania.
It was a tight game until Gwynedd Mercy exploded for six runs in the top of the seven inning that included back-to-back home runs by junior David Tatoian and senior Shaughan Wright and a two-run double by junior Sachael Sciaretta. In the fifth inning, junior Ryan Keen hit a solo shot to ignite a two-run rally after Keystone tied it up at 3-3 with two runs in bottom of the fourth.
Junior Tommy Nardini paced the Griffins' 12-hit attack with three hits, including a double, and Wright and Tatoian combined for four hits and five RBIs. Sciarretta and junior Nick Mulvey each drove in two runs for Gwynedd Mercy, which jumped out to a 3-0 lead on a two-run double by Wright and a run-scoring single by Mulvey in the third inning.
Junior Mohammed Hussein (Queens, NY/William C. Bryant) continued his hot-hitting way today, finishing with three hits, including his second home run of the season and a pair of doubles to raise his total to 15. The Giants also received three hits from sophomore Alejandro Monteverde (Catasauqua, Pa./Catasauqua) and two from junior Ronald Medina (Bronx, NY/Dewitt Clinton). Senior pitcher Emilio Gonzalez-De Olio (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) came on in relief and struck out three batters and did not allow a hit over the final two innings.
Keystone news & notes
- With three hits in four at-bats today, Hussein raised his team-leading batting average to .466
- Giants also received a hit apiece from juniors Dakota McFadden (Rocky Point, NC/Heide Trask) and Chris Panzarella (Hazle Township, Pa./Hazleton Area) and sophomore Adam Kelly (Beach Lake, Pa./Honesdale)
- Today's loss was the first for Keystone since dropping a 5-3 decision at Moravian on April 11
- Giants are now 10-2 at home and 10-2 on the road this year
- Monteverde is now batting .385 on the season after smashing three hits today
- McFadden drove in his team-leading 40th RBI in the third inning