HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. – Designated hitter
Nicholas Grifone homered and drove in three runs in game one to lead the Centenary University baseball team in its Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) doubleheader against Keystone College on Saturday afternoon.
Centenary held a 6-3 lead in game one before the Giants (5-1, 3-1 CSAC) rallied for the 10-7 win. Game two saw the Giants jump out to an early lead and hold off a late charge by the Cyclones (2-3, 2-2 CSAC) for the 9-7 win.
Game One Recap (Keystone wins 10-7): The Cyclones struck first in this one as Grifone laced a two-out double to right field that scored outfielders
Jon Fleck and
Paul Links in the bottom of the first.
Keystone answered back with two in the top of the second and tied the game at 2-2.
Left fielder
Nick Gattuso put the home team back on top 3-2 with his RBI double in the third.
The two teams traded runs in the fourth inning as the Cyclones held a 4-3 edge on the scoreboard.
Grifone's home run, the first by a Cyclone this season, and an RBI single from shortstop
Christopher Gass extended the home team advantage to 6-3 at the end of five innings.
Keystone pulled to within one, 6-5 with a two-run double from
Jared Davis in the top of the sixth.
The Giants then scored three runs in the top of the seventh for an 8-5 advantage.
Third baseman
Kevin Zaccareo Jr. got one run back for the Cyclones in the bottom half of the seventh as he scored.
Keystone added two more runs in the ninth for the 10-7 victory.
Jared Rowley earned the win for Keystone in the start as he had four strikeouts.
Tyler Martinez took the loss for the Cyclones as he surrendered five runs in six innings.
Vince Montone and Davis led Keystone with two hits and two RBIs in the contest.
Fleck and first baseman
Brandon Smith each had three hits for the Cyclones while Grifone went 2-for-4 with three RBIs.
Game Two Recap (Keystone wins 9-7): Keystone struck first with three runs in the top of the second in game two.
The Giants extended their advantage to 7-0 with four runs in the top half of the fourth.
Centenary got one run back in the bottom of the fourth as Gattuso doubled home Links.
Keystone tacked on two more in the top of the seventh for a 9-1 lead in the contest.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Cyclones put three runs on the board. Zaccareo contributed an RBI double, Gass added an RBI single and another run scored on a double play.
Centenary pulled to within two, 9-7 with three runs in the bottom of the eight. A pair of fielders choices plated the runs in the inning.
Keystone claimed the 9-7 victory as the game was called after eight innings due to darkness.
Nathan Hinkley earned the win for Keystone after giving up three runs in six innings.
Matt Oehrlein took the loss after giving up three runs in 1.2 innings of work.
Noah Ruiz had two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored for Keystone.
Gattuso had two hits and an RBI for the Cyclones.
Centenary returns to action on Wednesday, Mar. 31 when it hosts St. Elizabeth for a nonconference doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.
