MISENHEIMER, N.C. (Feb. 19, 2017) – The Molloy baseball team dropped a 14-9 contest to close their opening series of the season against Pfeiffer University. The Lions drop to 0-3 on the season while the Falcons improve to 5-3 with the win.

Molloy once again started out with a strong first inning, as senior Kevin Podell (Wantagh, N.Y.) drew a walk and advanced to third base on two wild pitches. He was brought in to give the Lions an early 1-0 by an RBI single by junior Angelo Navetta (Staten Island, N.Y.). A homer over the left field wall by junior Elijah Leerdam (Jamaica, N.Y.) increased the lead to three runs.

The Lions were able to keep Pfeiffer off the board in the first inning, but the Falcons were able to tie the game in the bottom of the second with RBIs from Derek Perry (Belmont, N.C.), Dylan Smith (Siler City, N.C.) and Xavier Rodriguez (Tampa, Fla.). The home team would extend the lead in the bottom of the third, as Tanner Mathis (Hamptonville, N.C.) drove in a run with a double before Gauge Gantt (Archdale, N.C.) sent the ball over the left field wall to double the Falcons' lead to 6-3.

In the top of the fourth, juniors Luciano Morello (Hewlett, N.Y.) and Joseph Nastasi (South Salem, N.Y.) each scored on wild pitches to bring Molloy within one run. The Lions would tie the contest in the fifth on an RBI single from senior Michael Rahn (Sayville, N.Y.).

Gantt crushed his second home run of the day to bring in two runs, setting the score at 8-6 Pfeiffer after five innings. The lead would increase to four runs following a double from Jordan Eckard (Catfish, N.Y.) to score two. Rahn answered with a home run of his own to lead off the seventh inning, bringing the maroon and white within three runs.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Falcons went up 14-7 on an RBI single up the middle from Eckard and a double from Perry that scored three runners. The Lions cut the deficit to five runs in the ninth on RBIs from senior Anthony Alberghina (Staten Island, N.Y.) and Navetta, but were unable to complete the rally and fell 14-9.

Senior Bobby Kelly (Mineola, N.Y.) went three innings in a no decision while fellow-senior Dominic Danetti (Wantagh, N.Y.) picked up the loss, falling to 0-1 on the year in two innings of work. The senior struck out two. Cameron Reid (Asheboro, N.C.) picked up his second win of the season for Pfeiffer.

The baseball team is back in action on Friday (Feb. 24) as they head to Myrtle Beach, S.C. for the Northeast Challenge. The tournament begins with a game against Wilmington University at 2:00 p.m.