MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Plymouth State University baseball team scored five runs in the top of the sixth to earn a double header split against Albertus Magnus College on day three of the Myrtle Beach College Baseball Spring Training at Ebbets Field on Monday.
Freshman
Ryan Fogell (Coventry, R.I.) and sophomore
Jason Smith (Charlestown, Mass.) combined to strike out eight batters in the opener, but Albertus Magnus got an unearned run in the top of the seventh to snap a 1-1 tie and the Falcons held on for a 3-1 win.
The Panthers batted around in the top of the sixth of game two, turning a one-run lead into a 7-1 advantage. The Falcons loaded the bases with none out in the bottom of the seventh, but senior
Eoin Hamell-Kelleher (Attleboro, Mass.) came in and allowed just one run to score on a sacrifice fly as PSU took the 7-2 victory.
Plymouth State moves to 2-4, while the Falcons are now 1-3.
The Basics:
- Game 1: Plymouth State 1, Albertus Magnus 3
- Game 2: Plymouth State 7, Albertus Magnus 2
- Plymouth State (2-4)
- Albertus Magnus (1-3)
How it Happened (Game One):
- The Falcons scratched a run across in the top of the first, but a two-out double off the bat of senior Griffin Crane (Lancaster, N.H.) scored junior Luke Sokolski (Waterford, Conn.) to tie the game in the second.
- Albertus Magnus loaded the bases with two down in the top of the fourth, but Smith came on in relief to record the final out and keep the game tied.
- The visitors tacked on two in the top of the seventh to jump ahead, 3-1.
- Senior Bryan McGrath (Franklin, Mass.) singled to start the bottom of the inning bringing the tying run to the plate, but the Panthers were unable to rally.
By the Numbers (Game One):
- Fogell struck out three and allowed just one run over the first 3.2 innings, while Smith had five strikeouts over the final 3.1 innings.
- Crane's two-bagger was the Panthers' lone extra base hit. McGrath and junior Jackson Curtis (Jefferson, N.H.) both had singles.
- PSU batters also worked three walks.
How it Happened (Game Two):
- Albertus Magnus took a short-lived lead with a run in the second, but the Panthers plated two in the top of the third to pull in front. Senior Alex Rives (Gilford, N.H.) singled, stole a base, and scored on Curtis' base hit and Curtis later crossed the plate after a sac fly by junior Joshua Welsh (East Lyme, Conn.).
- The game remained close into the sixth when the Panthers' offense erupted for five runs. McGrath opened the inning with a double and Sokolski's triple made it 3-1. Rives and Curtis added run-scoring singles and Welsh plated a pair with a base hit through the shortstop hole to make it 7-1.
- Looking to add to its lead, PSU loaded the bases with two away in the seventh but Albertus Magnus worked out of the jam.
- The Falcons attempted to rally in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases without the benefit of a hit, but Hamell-Kelleher gave up just a sacrifice fly to close the door.
By the Numbers (Game Two):
- Rives had a three-hit game with a run scored and an RBI.
- Curtis finished 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBI, while Welsh, McGrath and sophomore Danny Quinn (Holliston, Mass.) each had a pair of hits.
- Welsh drove in three runs.
- Sophomore Ryan Williams (Merrimack, N.H.) struck out five over the first three innings, allowing just one run.
- The PSU bullpen allowed just three hits the rest of the way with graduate student Sean Thompson (Georgetown, Mass.) picking up the win in relief.
Up Next:
- After an off day, Plymouth State faces Rutgers University-Camden and Mount Aloysius College on Wednesday (Mar. 15).
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