BASEBALL TURNS BACK BRIDGEPORT IN 2012 FINALE, 5-2

Box Score vs. Bridgeport - May 6, 2012

UNIONDALE, N.Y. (May. 6, 2012) - Down 2-0 in its 2012 finale, the Molloy College baseball team rebounded to tie it with a pair of runs in the fourth, and got the lead for good with three in the eighth, in a 5-2 win over East Coast Conference rival University of Bridgeport at the Mitchel Field Athletic Complex in Uniondale, N.Y. As a result, the Lions finish the year with a record of 20-28 overall, and a league clip of 10-14. Meanwhile, the Purple Knights dropped to 16-19, and 12-12 in the ECC.

Bridgeport, which stranded two runners in scoring position in Top-1, and worked its way out of of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom half, opened the scoring with a two-spot in the second. Junior John Ciuffo (Stratford, Conn.) hit a no-doubt, two-run homer beyond the left-field wall for the early lead. Sophomore Zach Garooffolo (Fairfield, Conn.) also scored on the play.

Molloy battled back to square things up in the fourth stanza. With two runners in scoring position, a one-out sacrifice fly off the bat of senior Joseph Masone (Island Park, N.Y.) made it a one-run contest. An errant throw by sophomore Brock Roggie (Lowville, N.Y.) that followed plated junior Tom Szenczy (Baldwin, N.Y.), who earned a walk, for the equalizing score.

UB had a first-and-third, go-ahead chance in the sixth, but senior side-armer Justin Jorgensen (Bethpage, N.Y.) induced a pop-up, and struck out a hitter to end the threat. The Lions had their go as well in the seventh, with runners on second and third, but couldn't capitalize on the opportunity. A Szenczy inning-ending strikeout left the Purple Knights unscathed.

Molloy would not let another quality chance in the eighth go awry, scoring three runs for a 5-2 edge. After a lead-off base on balls was issued to red-shirt junior Robert Inzerillo (Staten Island, N.Y.), and a sacrifice bunt got him to second, freshman Joe Liberatore (Blue Point, N.Y.) put the Lions in the driver's seat, with an RBI base knock through the right side.

Red-shirt freshman John Galanoudis (Farmingdale, N.Y.) gave Molloy some insurance two batters later, doubling to left, which scored Liberatore for a 4-2 clip. The Lions would add one more in the frame, and never looked back.

Junior pitcher Matthew Metz (West Hempstead, N.Y.) received the win on the hill for the maroon and white. He yielded one hit, and one walk in two scoreless innings of relief. Fellow junior Patrick Brown (Howard Beach, N.Y.) got his second save, as he retired Bridgeport in order in the ninth.

Head Coach Joe Fucarino and the Lions have now closed out the 2012 season. For more information on the Molloy baseball program, please continue to check back at www.MolloyLions.com.