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Box Score 2 LYNDHURST, N.J. – Felician University junior Matt Blandino (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Central) pitched a nine-inning, three-hit shutout to lead the Golden Falcons to a 3-0 victory over visiting Concordia (N.Y.) College in Game 1 of the teams' Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference baseball doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at the Lyndhurst Recreation Complex. Felician completed a sweep with a 17-3 win in Game 2.
Felician (27-18, 14-4 CACC) is ranked No. 5 in the most recent NCAA Division II Committee East Region rankings. With the pair of victories, the Golden Falcons came within one game of clinching their third CACC regular-season championship. Felician needs one win in its twinbill at Bloomfield College on Monday to claim the title outright. Felician won conference regular-season crowns in 2002 and 2012.
Following the second game, Felician seniors Jared Graziano (Manalapan, N.J./Red Bank Catholic) and Dean Loucka (Wood-Ridge, N.J./Wood-Ridge) were honored in Senior Day ceremonies.
Blandino gave up three singles and a hit batsman in Game 1, and two Clipper hitters reached on errors. Concordia left four runners on base, and the other two were erased on double plays. Blandino (7-3) struck out seven batters, running his season total to 85. He broke the Felician single-year record of 79 set by current Colorado Rockies farmhand Jerry Vasto in 2014.
The shutout was the second of the season for Blandino and the sixth for Felician. Both totals tie single-season school records. The game was completed in one hour, 48 minutes.
The Golden Falcons tallied all three of their runs in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, Felician loaded the bases on two singles and a hit batsman. Junior Andrew LaMura (Brick, N.J./Red Bank Catholic) hit a long blast to right field that one-hopped the fence for a two-run double, and Brennan Price (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) followed with an RBI groundout.
Bruce Strickland (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) and Matt Kleinstein (Marlboro, N.J./Colts Neck) were each 2 for 4 for Felician. With an infield hit leading off the first inning, Strickland became the 28th member of the Golden Falcons' 100-hit club. Sophomore Dylan Lawrence (Queens, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) (5-5) scattered eight hits in a complete-game effort for Concordia, striking out six batters.
Felician scored five runs in the second inning and five more in the third to break open Game 2 early. The Golden Falcons led, 16-1, after five frames. Sophomore left-hander Jason Polgano (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) (6-1) was the pitching beneficiary, earning the win after allowing one run on three hits in five innings.
Ralph Caccavale (Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge) had a triple and drove in four runs for Felician, and Strickland had three RBI. Matt Diesel (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) produced two doubles and a triple with three RBI, and Price and J.R. Meneses (Lake Worth, Fla./Zion Lutheran) were each 3 for 4.
In his first career start, Felician freshman outfielder Kyle Parks (Nassau, Bahamas/Rabun Gap) picked up his first collegiate hit. Parks was on base four times and scored three runs. Felician finished with 18 hits for the game.
Freshman Christian Petraccione (Ozone Park, N.Y./Holy Cross) was 2 for 2 with a double off the bench for the Clippers (12-26, 9-9).
