Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Box Score (Game One) l Box Score (Game Two)

FARMINGDALE, NY (www.oldwestburypanthers.com)  – The SUNY College at Old Westbury baseball team dropped two games to the Farmingdale State Rams by the scores of 11-3 and 5-1 in Skyline Conference action on Sunday afternoon at the Farmingdale State Baseball Complex. Old Westbury (2-8) opened conference play and is now 0-2 while Farmingdale State (8-10) jumped to 4-0. 

The Panthers held leads in both games but were unable to control the Farmingdale State attack. Old Westbury held 9-8 hitting edge in game one while Farmingdale State had a 6-5 margin in the second game. On the base path, Old Westbury stranded 16 runners compared to just seven for Farmingdale State in the two-game set. Old Westbury committed three errors in game one and were flawless on the defensive front in game two while Farmingdale State had two and three miscues, respectively. 

Albert Bevacqua, Josef Schaetzle and Fernando Lopez led the Panthers offense in the first game, collecting two hits each. Bevacqua and Schaetzle each doubled while Lopez singled home Schaetzle in the fifth to give Old Westbury a 3-1 lead. Old Westbury got on the board first when Melvin Simmons lifted a sacrifice fly to right in the second inning to drive in Edwin Pena. Simmons also doubled in the ninth in going 1-for-4 at the plate. Steven Henriquez walked and scored on a pair of errors in the fourth for Old Westbury's second run. 

Farmingdale State was led by Mike Labrozzi in the first game, as he clubbed a two-out grand slam off Dan Fordyce in the fifth inning to put his team on top, 8-3. Labrozzi's big fly was part of a seven run inning. 

Dan Fordyce got the start in game one and was pinned with the loss after allowing nine runs (eight earned) on five hits and three walks in 5.1 innings of work. Fordyce had three strikeouts and Frank DiMaria followed with one strikeout in 1.2 innings of relief, allowing two runs on three hits. James Huber pitched a perfect eighth inning to cool off the Farmingdale State offense. 

Ian Solomon improved to 2-1 on the season for the Rams after throwing seven innings, giving up two earned runs and seven hits. Solomon struck out five and reliever Mike Biasi registered two strikeouts in two innings of scoreless two-hit relief. 

The second contest saw the Panthers take another lead early on, but a two run second inning helped Farmingdale State take a lead they would not relinquish on the game. Albert Bevacqua once again led the Panthers in the second game. Bevacqua went 2-for-3 including a key single that was moved Giovanni Jimenez to third before Fernando Lopez singled him home to give Old Westbury the lead in the first inning. 

Farmingdale State tied the game in the second off a two out single by Ryan McCallister that scored Brandon Cruz to tie the game in the second. DeVito then stepped to the plate and tripled home McAllister for the go ahead run and eventual game winner. In the third inning, Mike Labrozzi plated a double to score Kevin Curtis and Zak Nersesian. Labrozzo then scored as the next batter Brandon Cruz delivered a sacrifice fly to right field to close out the scoring for the day, giving Farmingdale State a 5-1 advantage. 

Old Westbury starter Abel Guerrero (0-3) took the loss and was charged with five runs on five hits and three walks before exiting the mound with two outs in the third inning. Marvin Rosario logged in 3.1 innings of shutdown relief. Rosario struck out two and gave up one hit and one free pass. 

Farmingdale State's Chris Phelen tossed the opening 5.1 innings on the hill and earned his second win of the season, improving to 2-2. Phelen had four strikeouts and surrendered one run on four hits and issued one walk. Steve King faced six batters and recorded the last five outs to preserve the victory in relief of Phelen.

Old Westbury returns to the diamond on Tuesday afternoon for its home opener against the Baruch College Bearcats. The Panthers are scheduled to throw the first pitch to the Bearcats at 3 p.m. at the Jackie Robinson Athletic Complex.

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