PARSIPPANY, N.J. - Two runs in the seventh inning and three more in the eighth allowed the Caldwell College baseball team to overcome a two-run deficit and defeat Dominican College, 9-6 in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game Monday afternoon at Smith Field. The win was the Cougars' fifth in a row and improved their conference record to 12-7 (20-18 overall). The Chargers dropped to 22-19, 16-8 CACC.
After giving up a run in the top of the first, the Cougars tied the game in the bottom of the first when senior Joe Catenacci (Helmetta, NJ/Spotswood) scored on an error. The Cougars took their first lead of the game in the third inning, when senior Hasani Whitfield (Briarwood, NY/Molloy) (pictured) doubled home classmate Mike Kolesar (New City, NY/Clarkstown North). Whitfield later scored on a groundout by senior Ryan McGee (Cedarhurst, NY/Lawrence), then junior Nick Mauro (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) singled home junior Landon Viessy (Bayside, NY/Cardozo) for a 4-1 Caldwell lead.
But the advantage wouldn't last long, as the Chargers put five runs on the board in the top of the fourth. The score remained 6-4 in favor of Dominican until the bottom of the seventh. Catenacci led off the inning with a single, stole second, then scored on an error. With two outs and McGee on second and Viessy on first, senior Fadul Bambino (Astoria, NY/Queensborough CC) singled to plate McGee and tie the game at 6-6. Then in the eighth, Kolesar singled to score freshman Eric Theiss (Deer Park, NY/Deer Park) to put the Cougars ahead to stay. Whitfield tripled home Kolesar and Catenacci to make the score 9-6, then freshman right-hander Eric Hines (Milltown, NJ/Spotswood) pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to clinch the victory.
Hines (6-2) retired all five batters he faced to earn the win, while junior Michael Fillucco (Lanoka Harbor, NJ/Lacey) tossed 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Seniors Whitfield, Catenacci and Bambino each had a pair of hits, while Whitfield drove home four runs to lead the Cougars.
The Cougars wrap up the regular season on Tuesday, May 3, with a CACC doubleheader against Felician College. The first game is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. at Smith Field.
