Box Score ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (May 4, 2016) - A four-run sixth inning combined with effective bullpen pitching allowed the Molloy College baseball team to roll to a 12-6 win over Caldwell University on Tuesday (May 3) at the Kiwanis Oval in West Caldwell, N.J. Molloy improves to 29-16 with the win while Caldwell failed to win its tenth game of the season (9-26).
The Lions jumped out to an early 5-0 lead with a four-run second inning; senior outfielder
Nicholas Gonchar (Staten Island, N.Y.) opened the scoring with an RBI single before
Ryan Hensley (Franklin Square, N.Y.) and
Deilyn Guzman (East Hampton, N.Y.) delivered on back-to-back base hits in propelling the maroon and white to the early edge. Caldwell responded with five runs in the third and fourth innings and both teams added another run to get to the top of the sixth inning in a 6-6 deadlock. Following a leadoff double by
Jack McCarty (Huntington, N.Y.) and a walk issued to Hensley, Guzman singled to center field scoring McCarty with the go-ahead run. After
Kevin Podell (Wantagh, N.Y.) reached on a sacrifice bunt attempt that resulted in a throwing error and a run scoring,
Angelo Navetta (Staten Island, N.Y.) hit a run-scoring sacrifice fly to put Molloy ahead by a 9-6 margin. Sophomore outfielder
Elijah Leerdam (Jamaica, N.Y.) then smacked a double to left field, scoring Podell and giving the Lions a 10-6 lead. Molloy added a run in both the seventh and eighth innings to provide the final score line.
Guzman and McCarty each had four hits for the maroon and white in the victory, with the players combining to drive in four runs and score four as well. Hensley went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored while Leerdam and
Brian Murphy (Elmont, N.Y.) each picked up two base hits. Junior
Sean Gordon (Levittown, N.Y.) was credited with the win in relief, as he pitched 1.1 innings of work to get Molloy through five with a 6-6 tie. Senior southpaw
Peter Vath (Selden, N.Y.) tossed three innings of one-hit perfection for Molloy to hold the Cougars at bay, and Guzman twirled a steady ninth inning to close the game.
Molloy will play Saint Thomas Aquinas College on Friday (May 6) at 3:30 p.m. at Mitchel Field in the first game of the final ECC series for the maroon and white.
