OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. – Chicago State baseball continued its inaugural Great West Conference weekend series with a doubleheader against NYIT Saturday afternoon, but fell to the host school by scores of 6-2 and 14-8 at President's Field. The Bears improved to 9-12 (3-0), while the Cougars saw their record fall to 1-21 (0-3).
CSU opened the scoring of the first game when freshman Christian Prince (Hudsonville, MI/Hudsonville) (Hudsonville, Mich.) blasted his first collegiate home run with a two-run shot to right field for a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, but senior Brian Smith hit a two-run homer to right center in the bottom of the first to even the score at 2-2.
Sophomore Sebastian Grazziani lined a run-scoring single to left field which plated fellow classmate Matthew Carr from second to give NYIT a 3-2 advantage. After adding another run in the third inning to go ahead 4-2, the Bears increased their leading margin to 6-2 in the fourth inning thanks to Grazziani's two-run homer that also scored Carr.
Prince went 1-of-1 in the game with two RBI and two walks for Chicago State, while sophomore William Hill (Wheaton, Ill./Glenbard South) (Wheaton, Ill.) hit 1-of-2 with a double. Senior Austin McDowell (Coal City, IL/Olney Central College) (Coal City, Ill.) took the loss on the mound after allowing six runs on 10 hits in six innings of work and posted three strikeouts.
NYIT was led by Grazziani's 2-of-2 effort at the plate in addition to driving home three runs and scoring once. Smith went 2-of-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Senior Andrew Gurassi (2-3) earned a complete-game win by striking out 12 while giving up two runs on two hits in seven innings thrown.
Junior Miguel Camacho (Chicago, IL/Oakton CC) (Chicago, Ill.) broke a scoreless tie in the second game with a solo home run to right center as the Cougars gained a 1-0 lead after the top of third. The home team then scored four runs in the bottom half of the third with juniors Jerry Smith and Effery Valdez recording RBI singles during the run for a 4-1 advantage.
An RBI groundout by senior Kevin Hussey (Pickering, ON/Olney Central College) (Pickering, Ont.) brought home senior Patrick Hernandez (Romeoville, IL/Triton CC) (Romeoville, Ill.) as the visitors closed within 4-2 in the fourth inning.
The Cougars captured a 7-4 lead after tallying five runs in the top of the fifth, highlighted by a two-RBI single from junior Billy Les (Oak Lawn, IL/South Suburban College) (Oak Lawn, Ill.) and an RBI single from senior Kellon McFarlin (Chicago, IL/Meramec CC) (Chicago, Ill.). Grazziani produced a two-run single as part of a three-run rally in the bottom of the fifth to even the score at 7-7.
CSU recaptured the lead at 8-7 in the top of the sixth when redshirt sophomore Albert Carpen (Whiting, IN/Clark) (Whiting, Ind.) lined an RBI infield single to score McDowell from second after he reached base on a one-out single. The Bears scored six runs in the bottom half of the inning that included a two-RBI single by Grazziani to post a 13-8 advantage.
NYIT closed the scoring in the eighth inning when freshman Ari Rodriguez brought home senior Greg Gilroy from third with an RBI sacrifice fly to left field for the final margin.
Hernandez and Les each went 2-of-5 to lead CSU in the second game, while McDowell hit 2-of-4 and scored twice. Senior Scott Balcer (Palatine, IL/Harper College) (Palatine, Ill.) gave up four runs (three earned) on one hit in one inning of relief while taking the loss, while sophomore starter James Tucker (Gary, IN/Calumet) (Gary, Ind.) recorded a season-best five strikeouts in four and one-thirds innings thrown.
Valdez hit 3-of-4 with three runs scored and two RBI for the Bears. Gilroy finished the contest by going 3-of-5 at the plate with two runs scored and two RBI. Senior Matt McDevitt (1-0) gained the win after pitching three scoreless relief innings while allowing only two hits.
Both teams will conclude the series tomorrow afternoon with the first pitch set for 1 p.m., Eastern Time.
~CSU~
