Baseball season is here.
 
Unfortunately, the season did not start the way the John Carroll University baseball team had hoped. The Blue Streaks saw a pair of late-inning leads slip away during Alvernia's 7-6, 4-2 sweep of a twinbill.
 
Game One
Alvernia 7, John Carroll 6
7-Inning Game
 
John Carroll looked to start its season strong scoring two runs in the first inning. In the end, a five-run seventh from Alvernia would be too much to overcome as the Crusaders would take the 7-6 decision.
 
Alvernia's Chris Burns provided the dagger with a three-run homer to left.
 
The Blue Streaks struck first on Tyler Gentile's one-out single in the bottom of the first. The junior first baseman would go on to finish a perfect 4-for-4 with an RBI. Mark Huddle quickly pushed the lead to two lofting a sacrifice fly to left field plating David Crowley.
 
The Crusaders struck back getting their first two runs of the contest in the second. The first came on a groundout from Dan George while the second came from a one-out single from Joe IacoBellis. Alvernia threatened to take the early lead. Rob Cifelli and Jacob Schriner had other plans with the juniors combining to mow down Mike Cunningham at the plate.
 
John Carroll retook the lead at 5-2 in the third. Huddle roped in a double down the left field line plating both Bobby Sabatino and Crowley. One batter later, David Lykens added an RBI groundout.
 
Sabatino scored the final JCU run of the game on a Crusader passed ball in the fourth inning.
 
JCU received good production from its two through four hitters. The trio of Sabatino, Crowley and Gentile combined to hit 10-for-12.
 
"Those guys did a really good job," said head coach Marc Thibeault. "They really battled inside the count and did a good job with two strikes staying in the middle or going the other way. They either started the production of runs or capped off the production of producing runs. That was good."
 
Junior Aaron Lapaglia battled through five innings. The right-hander scatted five hits and walked three while allowing two runs.
 
Drew Vargo took the loss for the Blue Streaks. The sophomore allowed two runs on three hits while attempting to nail down the save.
 
Louis Marotta picked up the win for Alvernia. The lefty fired 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.
 
Game Two
Alvernia 4, John Carroll 2
7-Inning Game
 
A good way to start the season is to pitch a gem. Brandon Maddern struck out 10 batters including the first six he faced for the season.
 
"Strikeouts are not expected, but locating inside the zone is expected," said Thiebeault. "He did a good job with that and really controlled the first and second pitch of the at bat. He was able to throw the pitch that he wanted. His ball was moving pretty well and he kept those guys off balance."
 
The junior ran into trouble in the sixth inning as Alvernia scored all four of its runs to come back and win 4-2.
 
John Carroll jumped on the board in the top of the first. Gentile continued his hot start to the season with his fifth hit to plate Sabatino.
 
From there, the game would turn into a pitcher's duel between Maddern and Alvernia lefty Kevin Short.
 
Short's miscue would lead to the second run of the game for the Blue Streaks. Attempting to pick off Cifelli, Short skimmed the throw into the outfield playing Mike Raschilla.
 
Maddern worked out of a bases-loaded jam inducing a double play in the fifth inning. The luck would change in the sixth. Dan George delivered the blow with a three-run double but would get thrown out at third trying to stretch the hit to a triple. The Crusaders would add their fourth run on a Blue Streak error.
 
Gentile would lead the way at the plate going 2-for-3. Maddern would pitch the complete game allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits.
 
John Carroll returns to action on Monday, March 2 against Bluffton. The two teams are slated for a 7-9 doubleheader at North Regional Park in Port Charlotte.