Box Score POMONA, N.Y. – Redshirt junior first baseman Edwin Tavarez (Garfield, N.J.) had a home run and five runs batted in and classmate Chris Fernandez (Boca Raton, Fla.) drove in four runs as Felician University defeated host Dominican (N.Y.) College, 12-5, in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference baseball action on Thursday afternoon at Clover Stadium.
The result leaves Felician (20-19, 13-8 CACC) two games behind Post University for first place in the CACC North Division, and two games ahead of third-place Dominican. Each team plays its final four games of the conference season this weekend, with the Chargers and Golden Falcons meeting in a doubleheader on Sunday in Palisades Park, N.J. All three teams have already qualified for the conference tournament, but the No. 2 seed will host the No. 3 seed in next weekend's best-of-three play-in round, while the top seed will automatically advance to the tournament's four-team double-elimination main draw the following weekend.
After three scoreless innings on Thursday, the Golden Falcons broke through on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth. Luis De La Cruz (Jersey City, N.J.) led off with a single, and Tavarez lofted a home run to the opposite field in right. Felician re-started the rally, and Fernandez and Jaden Rivera (Queens Village, N.Y.) delivered run-scoring singles later in the frame for a 4-0 lead.
De La Cruz scored on a fifth-inning wild pitch, but the Chargers matched that run on a solo homer by Richard Paulino (San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic) to trail, 5-1. The visitors then broke the game open with a six-run sixth. Felician used a hit batsman, an error, a single, two walks, and three-run doubles by both Tavarez and Fernandez.
Golden Falcon junior left-hander Wilfrido Valenzuela (Paterson, N.J.) (2-2) pitched through six innings. He gave up five runs, but only two were earned. Valenzuela allowed four this, struck out six batters, walked three and hit one. Tavarez finished 3 for 5, and Fernandez and Rivera added two hits each. Felician senior Nick Vincelli (Waretown, N.J.) added a pinch-hit home run in the ninth as the Golden Falcons outhit Dominican, 12-6.
Tavarez's home run was the 16th of his Felician career, moving him into sole possession of third place on the school career list. He trails only Golden Falcon Hall-of-Famers Frank Quintana (35, 2004-07) and Mike Rooth (18, 2003-06).
Felician faces Thomas Jefferson University in a doubleheader on Saturday at noon in Philadelphia before hooking up with the Chargers (14-29, 11-10) again on Sunday.
