LANTANA, Fla. – The Caldwell College baseball team lost a pair of games at the Palm Beach Challenge, falling to No. 15 Franklin Pierce University 1-0 and losing to Palm Beach Atlantic 7-1 at the Santaluces Sportplex. The results give the Cougars a 2-3 record on the season.
The game with Franklin Pierce was a pitching duel between the Ravens' Mike Adams and Caldwell senior Buddy Riggs (Coral Springs, FL/Taravella). Both allowed one hit apiece, with Adams striking out six in eight innings and Riggs fanning five in 7 1/3 innings. The game's only run came in the top of the fifth inning, when Phil Hendricks led off with a single and advanced to second on an error. He then came around to score on a throwing error for a 1-0 lead. Rob Nicholas pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn the save. Freshman Mark Sarrao (Riverdale, NJ/Pompton Lakes) worked the final 1 2/3 innings for Caldwell, allowing no hits while walking two and striking out one.
Caldwell's only hit of the game came off the bat of senior catcher Brian Corsi (Toms River, NJ/Toms River East) in the third inning, his first career hit.
Against Palm Beach Atlantic, the Cougars fell behind 4-0 after two innings thanks in part to three errors. In the top of the fourth, senior Andrew Robertson (Coral Springs, FL/Taravella) led off with a single and sophomore Jorge Ynoa (Bayside, NY/Bayside) reached on an error. With two out and the runners on second and third, senior Doug Hilgenberg (Flemington, NJ/Hunterdon Central) delivered a single to left that scored Robertson. Ynoa was thrown out at home on the play, making the score 4-1 Sailfish.
That's all the offense Caldwell would generate, as PBA pitcher Thomas allowed just one hit during the final five innings. Thomas struck out 12 batters while giving up five hits and one run in a complete-game victory. For Caldwell, senior right-hander Robert Casal (Howard Beach, NY/St. Francis Prep) allowed 11 hits and six runs, four earned, while fanning seven in 6 2/3 innings of work.
The Cougars play St. Michael's College at the Palm Beach Challenge on Sunday, Mar. 14, beginning at 4:00 p.m. at the Santaluces Sportplex.
