MISENHEIMER, N.C. (Feb. 18, 2017) – The Molloy baseball team opened their season with two games against Pfeiffer University, falling 10-9 and 8-2 at Joe Ferebee Field.

Game 1: Pfeiffer 10, Molloy 9
The Lions struck first, as senior Anthony Alberghina (Staten Island, N.Y.) ripped an RBI single to left center to score Brian Murphy (Elmont, N.Y.). Pfeiffer quickly countered in the bottom half of the inning, however, as Tanner Mathis (Hamptonville, N.C.) drove in two runs with a single to right field to put the Falcons up 2-1. Molloy tied the contest on an RBI ground out by junior Luciana Morello (Hewlett, N.Y.) in the top of the second inning. The lead doubled in the third, as Michael Rahn (Sayville, N.Y.) and Elijah Leerdam (Jamaica, N.Y.) each drove in runs. By the end of the third inning, though, Pfeiffer had tied the score 4-4.

Murphy grounded out in the top of the fourth to break the tie, but the Falcons scored two more runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a one-run lead. Leerdam tied the game with an RBI double in the top of the fifth. Before the inning ended, Morello drove home a run with a single to give the Lions a 7-6 lead at the halfway point. The run continued into the sixth inning, as Leerdam and Anthony Galanoudis (Farmingdale, N.Y.) each picked up RBIs via walking.

The following four runs belonged to the Falcons. Pfeiffer cut the lead to 9-7 in the bottom of the sixth inning on a RBI single from Derek Perry (Belmont, N.C.). Neither team was able to put a run on the board until Pfeiffer put up three runs in the bottom of the eighth to earn the 10-9 win.

Junior Shawn Klotsche (Wantagh, N.Y.) got the loss. The lefty totaled one hit, one run, and one strike out in one inning of work in relief. In four innings, junior Kevin Hiss (Merrick, N.Y.) recorded one strike out with five hits while senior Ronald Bauer (Hicksville, N.Y.) went three innings. Will Altemueller (Elkin, N.C.) got the win for the Falcons. Offensively, Leerdam went 4-4 with three doubles.

Game 2: Pfeiffer 8, Molloy 2
Molloy once again got on the board early. Murphy started the second contest with a double down the right field line. Alberghina brought him in with an RBI single to left field to put the Lions up 1-0. The lead doubled on a single to left from Leerdam to score Alberghina.

Both teams were held scoreless until Christian Marciano (Kent Island, Md.) hit a three-run homer to left field to give the Falcons the lead in the fourth inning. Pfeiffer would score two more before the inning ended to set the score at 5-2. The final three Pfeiffer runs came via a home run from Damon Smith (Stanfield, N.C.) and a wild pitch.

Junior Anthony Catinella (Middle Village, N.Y.) went four innings, striking out nine batters. In two innings of relief, Morello totaled two strikeouts.

The teams are set to finish the series on Sunday (Feb. 19) at 1:00 p.m.