RADNOR, PA - The Cabrini baseball team dropped a two game series against visiting Montclair State University this afternoon to open their 2021 season.
The Red Hawks claimed a 9-2 victory in game one and an 11-2 victory in game two to move to 2-0 on the season.
Game One
Sophomore
Jonathan Baker got the nod as the Cavs' opening day starter and lasted five innings, surrendering six runs (five earned) on six hits, while striking out six.
Offensively, the Cavaliers tallied just four hits as juniors Brendan Van Bell and
Mack McKisson, as well as sophomores Earl Kockel IV and
Shane Chavez-Zottnick tallied one each. McKisson and senior
Sean Bernardo collected an RBI a piece.
The Red Hawks used a four run first inning, highlighted by back to back home runs from Peter Cosentino and Christopher Walker, to take control early. The visitors would tack on another run in the top of the second to push their lead to 5-0.
A sac fly from Bernardo in the bottom of the second and an RBI single to left from McKisson in the fifth would highlight the Cavs offensive output.
Montclair St. added a run in the fifth and sixth inning and capped their offensive efforts with two runs in the seventh to reach the eventual 9-2 final.
Game Two
The backend of the day's double dip featured a strong showing from sophomore
Christian Strickland as he paced the Blue and White with three hits, including his first long ball of the season, one run and one RBI.
McKisson and Kochel collected two hits a piece, while senior
Steven Priest paired a double and an one RBI.
Junior
Nicholas Gares toed the rubber in game two and was saddled with the loss after surrendering six runs on three hits in three innings. Senior
Mike Valerio (4IP, 5H, 3R, 2ER, 6K) and freshman
Andrew Smith (1IP, 1H, 2R, 1ER, 1K) combined for the remaining five innings of work
Strickland's aforementioned solo homerun opened the scoring for both teams in the bottom of the second to hand the Cavs a 1-0 advantage.
Montclair St. would quickly answer, however as they pushed across five runs on three hits in the top of the third. Priest would cut into the visitor's lead in the ensuing frame thanks to a hard hit double down the right field line to plate McKisson.
It would unfortunately be all Montclair St. from there on out as the Red Hawks added runs in the fourth, fifth and eighth inning to cruise to the 11-2 final.
The Blue and White will get a week off as they prepare to host Wesley College for a doubleheader on Sunday, March 14th at Cabrini Carroll Field. Game one is slated to begin at 12pm.
