YAPHANK, N.Y. — After suffering a tough 11-8 loss to CCNY last Wednesday and looking to return to the win column, the SUNY Old Westbury baseball team took the field once again against the Beavers on Monday afternoon at Lasorda Legacy Park in Yaphank, New York. The Panthers split the doubleheader with CCNY, falling in a close 5-4 contest in game one before bouncing back with a dominant 10-1 victory in game two. The game two win also marked the 300th career victory for Head Coach Rod Stephan, making him the winningest coach in SUNY Old Westbury baseball history.
Game 1: CCNY 5, Old Westbury 4
Game one was a tightly contested matchup throughout, with Old Westbury battling back but coming up just short in the opener.
The Panthers finished with 11 hits and got strong offensive performances from several spots in the lineup. Brandon Hernandez led the way by going 3-for-3 with an RBI and a walk. Sean Maddi continued his strong day at the plate, finishing 2-for-2 with a home run, an RBI, and two runs scored. Chris Bartnik drove in two runs, while JJ Palumbo added a 2-for-4 effort with a run scored.
After falling behind 2-0, Old Westbury responded with a three-run third inning to take a 3-2 lead. CCNY answered with two runs in the fifth to move back in front, but Maddi's solo home run in the sixth tied the game at 4-4. The Beavers, however, pushed across the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh and held on to secure the win.
Game 2: Old Westbury 10, CCNY 1
Old Westbury wasted no time setting the tone in game two, erupting for four runs in the bottom of the first inning and never looking back in a commanding 10-1 victory.
The Panthers added one run in the third, one in the fourth, two in the fifth, and two more in the sixth to complete the bounce-back win. Old Westbury totaled 10 runs on 9 hits and showed power throughout the lineup with three home runs in the contest.
Mike Tiseo turned in a huge performance, going 3-for-3 with three runs scored, four RBI, and two home runs. Mike Petrucelly also homered and finished with three RBI, while Nick Miller went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a double. JT Torres scored two runs, drew a walk, and added a hit, while JJ Palumbo finished with an RBI and a run scored. James Reilly also drove in a run, and Sean Maddi scored once in the victory.
On the mound, Vinny Giambona earned the win for Old Westbury to improve to 7-11 on the season. The Panthers held CCNY to just one run on six hits in the game two victory, as Old Westbury closed out the day with a milestone win for its head coach.
What Old Westbury did well
Old Westbury did two things especially well across the doubleheader. First, the Panthers continued to generate offense, totaling 20 hits over the two games and getting contributions from multiple players throughout the lineup. Second, Old Westbury responded well after a tough one-run loss in game one, using an aggressive start and timely extra-base hitting to take control early in game two.
What's Next?
Old Westbury returns to action on Saturday, April 11, when the Panthers host Mount Saint Vincent in a Skyline Conference doubleheader at the Jackie Robinson Athletic Complex in Old Westbury, New York. First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.
