PLYMOUTH, Mass. – Lesley University freshman Tom Muratore (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) continued his stellar rookie season as he went 8.2 IP and struck out a career-high 11 as the Lynx came from behind to top Southern Vermont College 9-3 this afternoon in New England Collegiate Conference action. Muratore limited the Mountaineers to just five hits and three runs (one earned) and walked just three as he improves to 4-1 on the year.
Trailing 3-2 after five full innings, the Lynx tallied three runs in the sixth and added four more in the top of the eight to give them the six run lead. Lesley's offense was paced by a 4-for-5 performance by senior David Hersey (Wolfeboro, N.H.) who finished with a double, two RBI, and two runs scored. Fellow seniors John Gosnell (Toronto, Ont.) and Tyler Plourd (Canton, Conn.) also knocked in a pair of runs and scored one of their own for the Lynx while classmate Rob Parson (Commack, N.Y.) finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.
Mountaineers starter Dylan Angelo (Ft. Johnson, N.Y.) pitched well for the visitors, striking out three and allowing just three earned runs (five total runs) in six innings of work. Angelo fell victim to some faulty defense behind him as SVC made four miscues on the day.
Senior Sal Sciara (Massapequa, N.Y.) led the Mountaineers offensive attack as he finished 2-for-4 with a run scored from atop the SVC lineup while classmate Roland Hernandez (Pico Rivera, Calif.) went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Junior Richard Rios (Pico Rivera, Calif.) and freshman Nike D'Agnese (Westchester, N.Y.) also recorded hits for the Mountaineers.
SVC put runs on the board first as they took advantage of some Lynx miscues in the top of the second inning. Hernandez led the inning off with a single, moved to second on a failed pickoff attempt and the scooted to third after Chris Nicastro Jr. (Kenilworth, N.J.) drew a walk and ball four skipped to the backstop. Hernandez didn't stay there long as he scored on the second passed ball of the inning. Two batters later, Nicastro Jr. crossed the dish on a wild pitch to put the Mountaineers up 2-0.
After the Lynx scored a run in the bottom of the second to cut the SVC deficit to 2-1, Hernandez was once again involved in some SVC offense as he put the Mountaineer lead back to two runs with a sacrifice-fly to left field that scored Sciara.
Once again, the Lynx had an answer in the bottom of the third as Parson led off the inning with a double before Hersey sent a two out single up the middle to bring the speedy centerfield around to score.
The score would stay 3-2 in favor of the Mountaineers until the bottom of the sixth inning where the Lesley bats were able to string several hits together. Junior Gustavo Polidor (Caracas, Venezuela) started the rally with a single to center before he moved into scoring position following a walk by senior Joe Muratore (Mamaroneck, N.Y.). Polidor then came around on a Plourd single to right-center while Muratore moved to third. Plourd then moved to second on a stolen base, but a failed pickoff attempt by the Mountaineers at second allowed Muratore to come in and Plourd to move to third base. The Lynx registered their third run of the inning when Parson beat out a slow ground ball to third that allowed Plourd to score, putting the hosts up 5-3.
Lesley's bats were not done, however, as they added four more in the bottom of the eighth to break the game open. Hersey recorded his second RBI of the game with a single to left center before Gosnell knocked in a pair with a single to center. Polidor capped the scoring with a wall-ball double to left field as the Lynx took a commanding 9-3 advantage.
Muratore kept the Mountaineers off balance all game long, allowing only three hits after the third inning, two of which came in the final two batters he faced in the top of the ninth. His 11 strikeouts are the second most in a single game in Lesley program history, and the most since Greg Anglin '12 struck out 14 against Rivier University on April 5th, 2012.
The two teams will complete their regular season series tomorrow as they will square off in a doubleheader starting at 1:00p at Trinity Stadium in Haverhill, Mass.