Game 1 /
Game 2
Galloway, NJ – Stockton University (13-17, 5-9 NJAC) split a doubleheader with William Paterson (13-17, 6-8 NJAC) winning game one 5-4 in 12 innings, before dropping the nightcap 3-2 on Sunday afternoon.
Mike DeSenzo (Pompton Plains/Pequannock) led the offense for the Ospreys with five hits on the day.
The Ospreys scored twice in the first inning, when
Zach Gustites (Flemington/Hunterdon Central) led off with a double and scored on DeSenzo's first of his four hits in the game. After Stockton loaded the bases later in the frame,
Garrhet Reedy (Tinton Falls/Monmouth) walked to force in the second run for a 2-0 lead. Stockton tacked on another tally the next inning when Gustites mashed his first career home run to make it 3-0.
The Pioneers finally broke through against starter
Brandon Perna (Cherry Hill/Cherry Hill West), plating two runs in the sixth inning, on three hits and an error to cut the margin to 3-2. Perna, who did not figure in the decision, tossed the first seven innings allowing one earned run before giving way to
Tim Rossi (Point Pleasant/Pt. Pleasant Boro). Rossi threw three scoreless innings in relief.
Stockton answered in their half of the frame, when Reedy walked and eventually came around on a wild pitch for the 4-2 advantage. The visitors responded by knotting the game in the top of the seventh on two hits and two costly Stockton errors to forge a 4-4 tie.
That score would last until the bottom of the 12th inning when the Ospreys were able to nail down the win. DeSenzo and
Joe Pipher (Brick/Brick Memorial) singled and
Nick LaPorta (Pompton Plains/Pequannock) reached on an error, loading the bags with no outs.
Kobe Sutherland (Cherry Hill/Cherry Hill East), who entered the game in the eighth inning, then lifted a sacrifice fly, scoring DeSenzo with the game winning marker for the thrilling 5-4 victory.
Ryan Moore (Waldwick/Waldwick) picked up his first career victory with two innings of scoreless relief.
The nightcap saw both teams battle throughout the contest.
Tyler Hobbs (Brick/Brick Memorial) plated one run on a fielder's choice in the second, and
Antonio Morello (Washington Twp. /Washington Twp.) knocked in another in the fourth for a 2-0 lead. The Pioneers plated single markers in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings for the 3-2 margin.
Stockton had one last chance in the eighth inning, putting the tying run at second but could not score the run. The home squad could get no closer and fell by the one run difference.
Dylan Warburton (Sewell/Washington Twp.) went the first six innings and took the loss striking out eight hitters.
Nick Maglione (Hamilton/Steinert) tossed the final three frames and shut down the Pioneers allowing just one hit to keep the Ospreys in the game.
Stockton will begin the final four games of the regular season with a game at Rutgers-Newark on Thursday. Game time in Newark is set for 3:30pm.
