COCOA, Fla. -- The Bridgewater State College baseball team suffered its' first loss of the season as the Bears dropped a 3-1 decision to Mount Saint Mary College on Sunday afternoon at the Cocoa Expo Center.
Despite a strong starting pitching performance out of junior right-hander Dave Liffers (Norwell, MA), the BSC defense committed three critical errors in the final three inning which ultimately cost the Bears the game.
Breaking a scoreless tie in the seventh, the Bears scored a run
on an RBI single by junior Dave Kiloski (Lowell,
MA). Kiloski's hit plated junior catcher Kelly
LaDow (East Falmouth, MA) from third base. LaDow had
led off the inning with a base hit and moved to third on
back-to-back ground outs.
The Blue Knights scored the tying run and took the lead in the
bottom half of the seventh. After getting the first out, Liffers
gave up a walk and a single to bring junior Dennis
Jennette (East Broofield, MA) out of the bullpen.
Jennette promptly gave up a single that drove in sophomore
Mark Derosa (Valley Stream, NY) with the
tying run followed by a walk to load the bases. Sophomore
Mike Umphlett (North Stonington, CT) hit a
line-drive right at senior second baseman Kenny
Downey (Braintree, MA) for the second out of the inning,
but Downey's throw to double the runnner up at first got
away which allowed the go ahead run to score.
In the eighth Jennette retired the first two batters, but an
infield fielding error kept the inning alive for Mount
Saint Mary. Following a single, the Blue Knights capitalized
on a misplayed ball on a base hit to left to tack
on a big insurance run.
Liffers (0-1) suffered the loss for the Bears allowing
two runs on six hits while striking out four and walking one.
Mount Saint Mary leftie Kyle Smith (1-0),
who came in relief of junior started Frank Snyder,
was credited with the win. Smith tossed 2 1/3
innings of scoreless relief allowing two hits while striking
out two and walking one. Snyder went 6 2/3 innings
giving up just the one run on six hits. He struck out three
and did not walk a batter.
The Bears had a frustrating afternoon at the plate
leaving seven runners left on base and five in scoring
position. The Blue Knights also left 10 men stranded on the
bases.
Offensively for the Bears, LaDow went 2-for-4 and scored
BSC’s only run. Downey also finished 2-for-4.
Sophomore second baseman Brian Visconti (Newburg,
NY) paced Mount Saint Mary going 3-for-3, while freshman first
baseman William Casey (Marlboro, NY) finished the
game 2-for-3.
The Bears continue their annual spring training trip to Cocoa, FL
when they face Old Westbury in a double header at 11:30 am at the
Cocoa Expo Stadium. Starting in game 1 will be sophomore
Spencer Hatstat (Clinton, MA) and then junior
transfer Jeff Sarahs (Whitman, MA) will make his
BSC debut in game 2.
Story by Steven M. Miller, Jr --- Sports Information Correspondent.