KINGS POINT, N.Y. – No. 2 SUNY Old Westbury baseball (12-4, 9-3 Skyline) won its opening game - of the 2021 Skyline Conference Championship against the third-seeded St. Joseph's College (L.I.) Golden Eagles (15-8, 13-5 Skyline) from Raymond J. Bartoszek Field in Kings Point, N.Y. on Friday afternoon.

Throughout the first four innings of play, there was a pitcher's duel between Old Westbury's Tim Woodford (W, 4-0: 9 IP, CG,  H, 0 R, 0 ER, BB,  K) and Golden Eagle starter, Kevin Czeczotka (L, 4-1: 7 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K) as neither starter forfeited a run.

In the top of the fifth inning, the Golden Eagles threatened to score as Mike Badala (2-for-3) knocked a leadoff double to right center field but Woodford settled down as he retired the next three batters and left Badala stranded on third base to continue the scoreless showdown.

In the home half of the fifth, Shaun Kaminski sparked a two-out rally for the Panthers as he hit an RBI double to right center field that brought home John Dell'Olio (1-for-3, R, BB) to give Old Westbury a 1-0 edge. The next batter Oscar Fajardo (2-for-2, HR, 2 RBI, R, 2 BB) smacked a two-run home run that cleared the left field fence to extend their lead to three (3-0).

Woodford continued his dominance on the mound as he retired the Golden Eagles in order to conclude the game and secure the 3-0 shutout victory. The Smithtown, N.Y. native finished the game with a complete-game shutout that featured four strikeouts and surrendered just a pair of extra-base hits (two doubles) throughout the game.
 

UP NEXT FOR THE PANTHERS: No. 2 Old Westbury (12-4, 9-3 Skyline) continues the Skyline Conference Championship tomorrow, Saturday (May 8) when they take on the host, and first-seeded, United States Merchant Marine Academy (14-3, 12-3 Skyline) at 1 p.m. from Raymond J. Bartoszek Field in Kings Point, N.Y.  

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