PALISADES PARK, N.J. – Having moved into first place in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference North Division while idle the previous day, the Felician University baseball team solidified its hold on the Division's top spot with 24-6 and 12-0 CACC victories over Nyack College on Sunday afternoon at Overpeck County Park.
Playing as the visiting team on its usual home field, Felician (13-14, 8-3 CACC) outhit the Warriors, 24-10, on the day. Golden Falcon junior right fielder Chris Fernandez (Boca Raton, Fla.) was a combined 4 for 5 plus three walks and scored six runs, and classmate Edwin Tavarez (Garfield, N.J.) had six RBI during the doubleheader.
Felician has scored 80 runs during its current five-game winning streak.
The opening game was scheduled for nine innings but halted early due to the CACC's 10-run rule. Felician led, 9-0, after two innings and 13-3 following four frames. The Golden Falcons put the game away with a seven-run sixth. After scoring four more times in the seventh, Felician had produced its highest offensive output since a 25-5 victory over Concordia (N.Y.) College on May 1, 2018.
Senior right-hander Matty Miller (Bayside, N.Y.), the third of five Felician pitchers, struck out four batters in two scoreless innings of one-hit relief. Miller (1-0) was credited with the victory, the first of his collegiate career. The Golden Falcons had 12 hits, drew 12 walks, were hit by five pitches, and produced six sacrifice flies.
Andrew Florides (Glen Cove, N.Y.) was 2 for 3 with a triple and two RBI for Felician. Fernandez went 2 for 3 with a double, scored four runs, and had three of the Golden Falcons' nine stolen bases. Senior Nick Vincelli (Waretown, N.J.) was 2 for 2 with a double and drove in two runs off the Felician bench. Fausto Leonardo (Brooklyn, N.Y.) had a pair of doubles for Nyack (0-13, 0-9).
Three Felician right-handers – senior Michael Gutierrez (Garfield, N.J.), freshman Mike Caldon (Matawan, N.J.) and graduate student Ralph Gambino (Manalapan, N.J.) – combined on a one-hit shutout with 13 strikeouts in the nightcap. Gutierrez (2-3) started and worked four innings. He struck out seven batters and walked none, allowing only a sharp single by Alber Pichardo (Bronx, N.Y.) to lead off the second.
Fernandez jump-started a three-run first-inning rally with a solo home run. Tavarez hit a two-run homer and Florides had an RBI single in the third for a 6-0 lead. Meanwhile, the Warriors never put a runner past first base.
Tavarez finished 3 for 4 with a double, home run and three RBI and Fernandez and Florides had two hits and two RBI apiece for Felician. Junior designated hitter Hakim Salaam (Vineland, N.J.) enjoyed his second two-RBI game of the day.
Felician travels to nationally-ranked Molloy College on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. in Uniondale, N.Y.
