With the spring trip to the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational coming to a close, John Carroll baseball had a chance to make a statement heading into their final games.
A sweep in their final doubleheader spoke loud and clear. John Carroll defeated Rhode Island College, 5-1, 3-2, at Lake Myrtle Park in Auburndale, Fla. on Friday afternoon. The Blue Streaks are now 5-2 on the season. JCU plays their final RussMatt game tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. against St. John Fisher at Chain of Lakes Park.
GAME ONE
The penultimate inning was magic again, as John Carroll struck a major blow on the way to a 5-1 victory over the Anchormen.
Brandon Maddern (1-0) fired five innings of three-hit work, striking out five.
In relief,
Steven Virost was strong, allowing one baserunner in two innings. The sophomore has now tossed 7 2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, putting just three players on base.
The game was scoreless in the third, when
Jacob Schriner led off with a single to left center. With two outs, and Schriner on third, Molnar walked and Crowley drove his catcher in with a single to left center.
Rhode Island answered back during the next inning on a Tyler Rains double with one out. JCU jumped ahead on a 2-1 lead when a throwing error to first base on a
Tyler Gentile grounder sent
Rob Cifelli home. Much like the first Wartburg game (six runs scored in sixth) and second contest against the Knights (four runs scored in eighth), JCU came to life late.
Patrick Keohane singled to start the sixth. Scholla was hit by a pitch and Schriner loaded the bases on a fielder's choice, all with no outs.
Nathaniel Wenson drew a walk, sending in pinch runner
Chris LaLiberte.
Rob Cifelli answered the call, punching a ball down the left field line that scored Scholla and Schriner before Wenson was gunned down at the plate. The three runs were enough to clinch a Blue Streaks victory. Cifelli was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Keohane was 2-for-3, and
James Molnar drew three walks.
GAME TWO
JCU racked up 12 hits in game two, driving home four in a 4-3 victory over the Anchormen.
Joseph Franke (1-0) appeared in relief of starter
Jake Servidio in the first inning, giving up 2 runs in 5 1/3 innings of work.
The freshman came on and immediately stranded two Anchormen with a fly ball to right field. He struck out the side in the second, before needing only three pitches to escape the third. Jake Murray (0-1) took the loss for Rhode Island, who drop to 0-2 after the team's Opening Day.
Scholla singled to right field in the first inning, advancing to third when Cifelli was caught stealing. He would score on a wild pitch during David Crowley's at-bat.
Rhode Island would briefly take the lead on a Rains RBI double, but JCU scored in the fifth and sixth on a Gentile RBI single and a Wenson single to right field. Rhode Island made a run in the seventh inning, as Edward Apice hit an RBI single off
Mark Materise. The next batter flied out, and Materise notched his first save of 2016.
