Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 PALISADES PARK, N.J. – Felician University senior Jake Stoller (Merion Station, Pa./Lower Merion) capped a six-run sixth-inning rally with a three-run home run as the Golden Falcons completed an 11-6 Game 2 victory and a sweep of their Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference baseball doubleheader over visiting Dominican (N.Y.) College on Sunday afternoon at Overpeck County Park.
The games completed regular-season play for both schools. After the twinbill, Felician held a Senior Say ceremony. The following players who will be graduating and/or exhausting their eligibility were honored: Levis Aguila (Miramar, Fla./Hialeah Gardens); Andrew Florides (Glen Cove, N.Y./Holy Cross); Michael Gutierrez (Garfield, N.J./Garfield); Oliver Hernandez (Passaic, N.J./Passaic); Darwin Matos (Clifton, N.J./Clifton); Matty Miller (Bayside, N.Y./Cardozo); Lance Mumford (Brandon, Fla./Strawberry Crest); Nick Nardulli (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville); Kyle O'Neill (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip); Stoller; Shawn Vazquez (Millville, N.J./Vineland) and Nick Vincelli (Waretown, N.J./Spotswood).
Despite the victories, Felician (23-20, 16-9 CACC) saw its streak of five consecutive CACC league or division regular-season titles come to and end. Post University also won both its games on Sunday to finish 17-8 in league play and edge the Golden Falcons for the crown. Felician is the North No. 2 seed for the upcoming conference championship tournament, and will face North No. 3 Dominican in a best-of-three play-in series that begins on Friday, May 6.
Felician lead, 5-1, after four innings of the nightcap, a scheduled seven-inning affair. But the game tightened in the fifth following a three-run homer by Domincan senior Richard Paulino (San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic/CENAPEC). But Felician loaded the bases with one out in the sixth. Vincelli came up with an RBI single, and Dauri Genao (West New York, N.J./Memorial) followed with a pinch-hit, two-run double. One out later, Stoller launched the first pitch he saw over the left field fence for an 11-4 lead. The Chargers scratched two unearned runs across during the seventh for the final margin.
The left-handed Matos (3-2) pitched five innings for Felician, giving up four runs on six hits. He struck out a season-high nine batters and walked one. Stoller was 2 for 2 with four RBI, and Luis De La Cruz (Jersey City, N.J./Bergen Catholic) had a pair of doubles. Aguila and Vincelli also collected two hits each.
Game 1 saw Felician rally for four runs in the first inning and hold on. The Golden Falcons had five hits in the first inning, with Edwin Tavarez (Garfield, N.J./Garfield) (single), Aguila (triple), Vazquez (sacrifice fly) and Florides (double) all driving in runs. The Chargers reached Gutierrez for two unearned runs in the third, but a long home run by De La Cruz in the fifth restored a 5-2 edge.
Dominican (14-32, 11-13) drew closer in the seventh off the Felician bullpen, scoring twice on a fielder's choice grounder and a double steal. Freshman righty Mike Caldon (Matawan, N.J./Matawan Regional) retired the final batter in the seventh, then set down six of the final seven chargers for his second save.
Gutierrez (4-3) gave up no earned runs on three hits over six frames. He struck out five and walked none (but hit four). Florides was 2 for 4 with a double and Chris Fernandez (Boca Raton, Fla./Boca Raton Community) tripled for the Golden Falcons. Paulino went 2 for 3 for the Chargers.
Felician will host Dominican at a site and time to be determined on Friday to start the CACC postseason.