Box Score UNIONDALE, N.Y. (Mar. 21, 2017) – The Molloy baseball team fell victim to a late rally by the Chargers of Dominican College, 10-9, to fall to 3-12 on the season. Following a six-run sixth inning by Dominican, the Lions responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 9-8 lead. However, the Chargers mounted a comeback of their own, driving in two runs in the seventh inning for the victory. Sophomore
Lucas Burton (Glendale, N.Y.) fell to 0-2 on the season with the loss while Kyle Morgan (Boca Raton, Fla.) picked up his first decision of the season with the win.
The maroon and white got on the board early, as reigning East Coast Conference Rookie of the Week
Jake Saltzman (Old Bethpage, N.Y.) sent a leadoff home run over the left field fence in the bottom of the first inning. The Lions would tack on five runs in the bottom of the second to go ahead 6-0 on a single from senior
Anthony Galanoudis (Farmingdale, N.Y.), a bases-clearing triple from freshman
James Messina (New Hyde Park, N.Y.) and a double from senior
Kevin Podell (Wantagh, N.Y.).
The Chargers responded with seven unanswered runs. Dominican first got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth inning, as sophomore Brandon Simone (Bayside, N.Y.) hit an RBI single to right field before adding another run in the fifth on a single from senior Max Franzone (Nanuet, N.Y.). A number of errors by the Molloy defense helped six runs cross the plate in the top of the sixth, putting Dominican ahead 8-6.
The Lions roared with three runs in the bottom of the inning to reclaim the lead on a sacrifice fly from Podell, an RBI single from junior
Angelo Navetta (Staten Island, N.Y.) and Saltzman stealing home.
In the top of the seventh inning, sophomore Anthony Bartolomei (Oakhurst, N.J.) doubled down the line to tie the game 9-9. Senior Jayson Gray (New Rochelle, N.Y.) sent the game-winning run home on a fielder's choice two batters later. Molloy was unable to score in their final two innings, falling 10-9.
Messina and Navetta each picked up two hits on the day, with Messina driving in a game-high three runs. Senior
Dominic Danetti (Wantagh, N.Y.) went four innings, giving up only three hits with six strikeouts in a no decision.
The Lions will be back in action on Thursday as they face Adelphi University at Mitchel Field at 4:00 p.m.
