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YAPHANK, NY (www.OLDWESTBURYPANTHERS.com) –  The SUNY College at Old Westbury baseball team earned a pair of non-conference wins Friday afternoon at Baseball Heaven in Yaphank, New York, defeating the Lyndon State Hornets, 11-7, followed by a 3-2 win over the Ithaca Bombers.  Old Westbury improves to 3-2 on the season while dished out season opening losses to Lyndon State and Ithaca.

In the opener against Lyndon State, the Hornets began the scoring early courtesy of a two-run home-run by Tyler Pelletier.  Kyle Whitworth led off the game with a first pitch single to center.  After advancing to second on a sacrifice, Pelletier smoked a two-strike fastball down the left-field line that barely wrapped around the left-field foul pole, giving the Hornets a 2-0 advantage.

Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the second, Old Westbury put three runs on the board to take a 3-2 lead. The inning was highlighted by a two-run RBI triple to right-center by Tyler Hammett tying the game at 2-2.  Hammett scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly by Brian Reutter.  Brian Walsh started the Panthers' frame off with a double, followed by a Chris DeGennaro single that advanced Walsh to third setting up Hammett's base knock.

DeGennaro roped a two-run RBI double up the middle scoring John Angelino and Anthony Orsano in the bottom of the third stretching the Old Westbury lead to 5-2.   In the bottom of the sixth, three defensive miscues by the Hornets' enlarged the Old Westbury margin to 9-3.   Anthony Orsano drove home Paul Valerio, who started the inning off with a bunt single, putting Old Westbury up 7-3.  Steve Mare trotted home on a Hornets' error and later in the inning and Anthony Orsano scored the Panthers' ninth run of the contest on a throwing error.

The Hornets threatened in the top of the ninth as Michael Cartularo recorded a RBI single and Pelletier smoked a two-out two-run RBI double to left-center trimming the deficit to four, 11-7.  Old Westbury reliever Joseph Gangi induced Michael Trucott to ground out sealing the Old Westbury victory.

Old Westbury mustered out 13 hits, including three extra bases hits.  , Paul Valero and Chris DeGennaro both went 3-for-4 from the plate as Brian Reutter finished 2-for-2.  DeGennaro and Reutter each collected 2 RBI apiece.  Old Westbury registered 12 stolen bases and were paced by Valerio, DeGennaro, Reutter, Jacob Coners and Anthony Orsano, who swept two bases apiece.  Tyler Pelletier ignited the Hornets' offense as he went 3-for-5 with 4 RBI followed by Michael Cartularo, who scored twice, going 2-for-5.    

Frank DiMaria (1-0) recorded the win for Old Westbury as he struck out six, allowing three earned runs and four hits in five innings pitched in his first career start.  Old Westbury tallied 12 Lyndon State strikeouts.  Shane O'Donnell (0-1) took the loss for Lyndon State after serving up five runs and six hits in 2.1 innings pitched.

Against Ithaca, Colby Gee sparked the Bombers with a two-out single in the fifth.  Following a walk by Vinny Gneo, Andrew Turner singled to left center, driving home Gee for the games initial run.  Old Westbury answered back in the bottom of the fifth with a leadoff John Angelino double.  Brian Walsh's sacrifice bunt advanced Angelino over to third and Chris DeGennaro laced a grounder that scored Angelino to make it a 1-1 game.

Old Westbury scored two in the seventh to secure the victory. Brian Walsh stroked a one-out single to drive in Anthony Orsano followed by DeGennaro's eventual game-winning double to score Walsh for the 3-1 lead.  Ithaca added a solo run in the eighth as Turner scored off an infield grounder by Mike Rosenbaum. 
Both teams banged out five hits apiece while John Angelino and Chris DeGennaro registered the games only extra base hits for Old Westbury.  Paul Valerio recorded his third multi-hit game of the season, leading all hitters with a 2-for-4 game at the plate. 

Tim Walsh (1-1) picked up Old Westbury's win, working seven innings on the mound, striking out four while allowing two runs off five hits and two walks.  Stephen Chapter tossed a scoreless eighth and ninth frames to earn his first career save.  Tucker Healey (0-1) suffered the loss for Ithaca after striking out six Panthers in 6.1 innings of mound work innings.  Healey was tagged for three runs off four hits and one walk. 

OSWEGO STATE LAKERS UP NEXT FOR THE PANTHERS: The Panthers return to the diamond for a non-conference battle on Saturday (Mar. 3) against the Oswego State Lakers at Baseball Heaven.  First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. in Yaphank, New York.



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