HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. – An extra inning walk-off win in game one allowed the Centenary University baseball team to earn a doubleheader split with St. Elizabeth University in nonconference action on Tuesday afternoon at Our Diamond of Dreams.
The Cyclones battled back from a 3-1 deficit for a 4-3 win in nine innings in game one. Game two saw the Eagles open up a 4-1 lead and hold off a late charge by Centenary for the 4-3 win.
Game One Recap (Centenary wins 4-3 in nine innings): The Cyclones got on the board first in this one as center fielder
Paul Links had an infield single that plated right fielder
Jon Fleck. Fleck had reached base on double to center field.
St. Elizabeth scored a run in the second and two in the third to take a 3-1 lead in the contest.
The Cyclones got one of those tallies back in the fourth as catcher
Nicholas Grifone had a one out single to right field that scored Links.
Centenary tied the game at 3-3 in its half of the fifth inning. With two outs, Links reached via an error and second baseman
Victor Cardona scored on the play.
Both teams had their chances in the sixth and seventh innings but neither could push a run across and the game went to extra innings.
The Cyclones and Eagles each had a runner reach in the eighth but again neither team could dent the plate.
After a one, two, three top of the ninth, the Cyclones went to work in the bottom of the ninth. A pair of singles put runners on first and second with one out. An intentional walk to Links loaded the bases and brought first baseman
Brandon Smith to the plate. Smith made contact on the play and error by the Eagles allowed Cardona to cross the plate with the game-winning run.
Matthew Gibbons earned the win in relief for the Cyclones. He tossed five innings of one hit, shutout ball. Gibbons also recorded five strikeouts in his action.
Tito Morales took the loss for St. Elizabeth as he gave up one unearned run in 2.1 innings of relief action.
Links was 3-for-4 at the plate for the Cyclones with a run scored and an RBI while Grifone, Cardona and Fleck all had two base knocks. Cardona had two runs scored as well.
Game Two Recap (St. Elizabeth wins 4-3): The Eagles jumped out to the early lead in this one with three runs in the top of the third.
John Capozzoli had an RBI double and later scored on a wild pitch in the frame.
The Cyclones got one back in the bottom of the fourth as Fleck lifted a sacrifice fly to right that scored second baseman
Anthony Vassallo.
St. Elizabeth pushed its lead to 4-1 with a run in the top of the sixth.
Centenary staged a late rally in the bottom of the seventh. The Cyclones loaded the bases with no one out via a single, a walk and a hit by a pitch. Third baseman
Kevin Zaccareo Jr. waited out a walk that forced in a run and made it a 4-2 game. First baseman
Kris Mankin grounded out to third for the first out of the inning but a run scored on the play and made it a 4-3 contest. St. Elizabeth was able to get the final two outs and hold on for the 4-3 win.
Shane O'Neil earned the win for the Eagles after giving up just one unearned run in 5.1 innings of work. Capozzoli got the save after getting the final three outs.
Nick Guiro took the loss for the Cyclones after giving up three runs in four innings.
Shortstop
Christopher Gass had two hits and a run scored for the Cyclones while Fleck had a hit and an RBI.
Joe Brong had two hits for St. Elizabeth.
The Cyclones are back in action on Monday, April 5 when they travel to Valley Forge for a 12 p.m. doubleheader.
