Box Score Boxscore

YAPHANK, NY (www.oldwestburypanthers.com) – The SUNY College at Old Westbury baseball team could not keep up with No. 16 Southern Maine, as the Panthers fell to the Huskies 7-3 at Baseball Heaven in Yaphank on Saturday afternoon. 

Southern Maine jumped to an early lead in the first off an error by left fielder Fernando Lopez that scored Josh Mackey from second. Old Westbury tried to get it back in the bottom of the second, but couldn't capitalize with runners on first and second. Mike Eaton put the Huskies up 2-0 by taking Old Westbury starter Abel Guerrero deep for his first homer of the season. In the bottom of the thid, Joe Manzella and Melvin Simmons hit back-to-back singles followed by a passed ball that advanced them to second and third, respectively. Giovanni Jimenez then stepped to the plate and lifted a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Manzella for Old Westbury's first run of the game. 

Old Westbury tacked on another run in the fourth as Josef Schaetzle swatted a big fly over the right field fence off Southern Maine starter Ben Ives to tie the game at 2-2. Southern Maine responded with a three run fifth inning to grab a 5-3 lead. Collin Henry drove in DavidRicker and Josh Mackey off a double and scored off an error by shortstop Melvin Simmons during the next at-bat. Panther reliever Bobby Hugli gave up a two-out single to Tucker White to score Anthony Pisani. Two-batters later, Kevin Briffa relieved Hugli and surrendered an unearned run as second baseman Edwin Pena made an error that scored White from second for the final run. 

PANTHERS AT THE PLATE: Fernando Lopez and Melvin Simmons paced the club with three hits each while Simmons scored one ruun. Josef Schaetzle went 1-for-4 and launched his first homerun of the season. 

HUSKIES AT THE PLATE: Josh Mackey scored two runs and Collin Henry drove in two and scored one in going 1-for-4 at the plate. Mike Eaton went 1-for-going 1-for-4 with a solo homer. 

PANTHERS ON THE MOUND: Abel Guerrero (0-2) took the loss, allowing three earned runs off four hits and fannned five in five innings of work. Bobby Hugli pitched 2.2 innings of relief, giving up two unearned runs and one hit. Kevin Briffa recorded the final out in the eigth and William Campbell closed out the ninth, allowing one hit. 

HUSKIES ON THE MOUND: Ben Ivers (1-0) went 7.2 innings with four strikeouts to earn the win. Ivers gave up nine hits and three runs before Nick Hahn got the final out in the eighth, despite walking two. Mike Eaton tossed a hitless ninth to preserve the victory for Southern Maine. 

GAME NOTES: Old Westbury outhit Southern Maine 10-6 and left 10 runners on base compared to eight by the Huskies. On the mound, Old Westbury struck out six and walked four while the Huskies registered five strikeouts and handed out four free passes. Defensively, Old Westbury made three errors and turned one double play and Southern Maine committed one miscue and flipped two double plays.

NO. 4 EASTERN CONNECTICUT UP NEXT FOR THE PANTHERS: Old Westbury will take on the Eastern Connecticut Warriors at Baseball Heaven on Sunday, March 7, for a non-conference battle. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. in Yaphank, New York. Please visit www.oldwestburypanthers.com for more information on baseball or any of the other Panther athletic teams