Box Score SHIRLEY, N.Y. (May 14, 2016) - Drama unfolded in the late innings of the East Coast Conference Baseball Tournament's fifth game and first of the Saturday (May 14) doubleheader; with an 8-2 lead after six innings of play, the Molloy College baseball team watched as the University of Bridgeport put up back-to-back-to-back four-run frames to take a wild 14-12 contest and eliminate the Lions from contending for the ECC Championship.
Junior shortstop
Brian Murphy (Elmont, N.Y.) went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and four runs batted in to lead the Lions, while fellow infielder
Kevin Podell (Wantagh, N.Y.) had two hits and brought home a run. Sophomore first baseman
Angelo Navetta (Staten Island, N.Y.) got treated like Bryce Harper as he was walked three times while going 1-for-2 in official at-bats and scoring twice.
Molloy (31-21) opened the scoring on an RBI groundout from
Elijah Leerdam (Jamaica, N.Y.) in the first inning, but Bridgeport (26-21-1) struck back in the fourth on a two-run homer by Alnaydo Rodriguez (Bronx, N.Y.). The maroon and white then scored the next seven runs, plating two in the fourth, three in the fifth and one in the sixth to hold an 8-2 advantage. The Purple Knights, however, tagged red-shirt junior starter
Bobby Kelly (Mineola, N.Y.) for four unearned runs in the top of the seventh inning to cut the deficit to just two runs. In the bottom of the frame, Murphy stroked a two-run double down the left field line before scoring on a sacrifice fly from
Deilyn Guzman (East Hampton, N.Y.) to collect an 11-6 lead. UB scored another four runs (all earned) in the top of the eighth inning while Molloy answered with just one in the bottom of the inning. The ninth inning saw the Purple Knights tie the game after both Casey McCone (Milford, Conn.) and Isaiah Rivera (Newington, Conn.) struck for run-scoring hits. UB then took the lead for good following a couple of fielding errors and a wild pitch, as the maroon and white failed to answer in the ninth to take the two-run loss.
