HAMDEN, Conn. - The Albertus Magnus College baseball team split a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) against Norwich on Sunday, dropping game one, 5-1 before taking game two, 14-4 in seven innings at Hamden High School.
Joey O'Hara (Bethel, Conn.) drove in five runs over the two games, including a home run and four RBI in game two. Adriel Espada (Bridgeport, Conn.) homered and scored threes runs and three RBI in game two. Eric Galarza (Bridgeport, Conn.) drove in four runs in game two and Mark Whittington (Meriden, Conn.) homered, drove in two runs and scored four of his own in game two.
Alexander Heidel (New Britain, Conn.) pitched a complete game with nine strikeouts in the game two win.
GAME 1
THE BASICS
FINAL: Norwich 5 | Albertus 1
RECORDS: Albertus (5-7, 1-2 GNAC) | Norwich (3-10, 1-0 GNAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Starting pitcher Adam Virginelli (North Branford, Conn.) struck out two batters in the top of the first as the Falcons kept the Cadets scoreless early on. Albertus got on the board in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by O'Hara that drove in Espada, who led off the inning with a single.
- Norwich answered with a run in both the second and third innings, including an RBI single by Michael Sabasteanski.
- Both teams went scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings, but Norwich scored three runs in the sixth as Jack Medhurst and Domenic Swaine each had RBI singles. Albertus went down in order in the sixth and seventh innings.
ON THE HILL
Albertus
Adam Virginelli (L, 0-2) 6.0 IP | 7 HIts | 5 Runs | 4 ER | 4 BB | 6 K
Riley Corgan 1.0 IP | 1 Hit | 0 Runs | 0 ER | 0 BB | 1 K
Norwich
Carson Rath (W, 3-1) 7.0 IP | 6 Hits | 1 Run | 1 ER | 0 BB | 9 K
AT THE PLATE
Albertus
Adriel Espada 2-for-3 | 1 Run
Joey O'Hara 1-for-3 | 1 RBI
Norwich
Geffen Franus 2-for-4 | 1 Run
Trevor Lussier 1-for-3 | 2 Runs
Domenic Swaine 2-for-2 | 1 BB | 1 RBI
GAME 2
THE BASICS
FINAL: Albertus 14 | Norwich 4 (7)
RECORDS: Albertus (6-7, 2-2 GNAC) | Norwich (3-11, 1-1 GNAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Heidel struck out the side to open up the top of the first and the Falcons bats answered with five runs in the bottom of the inning. After walks to Espada and Whittington, Galarza ripped a two-run double to clear the bases. O'Hara then followed with a two-run homer to put the Falcons up 4-0. Anthony Abate (Naugatuck, Conn.) added a sacrifice fly for the fifth run of the inning.
- Both teams went scoreless over the next two innings and Norwich got on the board in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by Trevor Lussier, but the Falcons used the long ball once again in the bottom of the inning as Espada hit a three-run homer after two straight errors by the Cadets. Galarza added an RBI single as the Falcons extended their lead to 9-1.
- After a run by the Cadets in the fifth, the Falcons added four more runs in the bottom of the inning, including a two-run double by O'Hara making it a 13-2 game.
- The Cadets scored a run in both the sixth and seventh inning, but a home run from Whittington in the bottom of the seventh ended the game via the mercy rule to secure the Albertus win.
- Heidel pitched a complete game, striking out a career-high nine batters.
ON THE HILL
Albertus
Alexander Heidel (W, 1-1) 7.0 IP | 4 Hits | 4 Runs | 2 ER | 3 BB | 9 K
Norwich
James Vinchetti (L, 0-2) 0.0 IP | 2 Hits | 4 Runs | 4 ER | 2 BB | 0 K
Jac Campbell 4.0 IP | 6 Hits | 5 Runs | 1 ER | 0 BB | 4 K
Isaac Parker 0.1 IP | 0 Hits | 3 Runs | 3 ER | 2 BB | 0 K
Hunter Lohrli 1.2 IP | 1 Hit | 1 Run | 1 ER | 2 BB | 2 K
Bryson Bush 0.1 IP | 1 Hit | 1 Run | 1 ER | 0 BB | 1 K
AT THE PLATE
Albertus
Adriel Espada 1-for-3 | 1 HR | 2 BB | 3 Runs | 3 RBI
Mark Whittington 2-for-3 | 1 HR | 2 BB | 4 Runs | 2 RBI
Joey O'Hara 2-for-4 | 1 HR | 1 2B | 1 Run | 4 RBI
Eric Galarza 2-for-3 | 1 wB | 1 Run | 4 RBI
Anthony Abate 2 Runs | 1 RBI
Norwich
Kevin Ohlsen 1-for-2 | 1 2B
Trevor Lussier 1-for-3 | 1 RBI
NOTEWORTHY
Espada now has 97 hits in his career. Galarza has 98.
The Falcons have six games of 10 or more runs this season.
UP NEXT
The Falcons play a non-conference road game at the United States Coast Guard Academy on Wednesday, March 25th at 3:30 p.m.
