Balsam's 2-Run Blast Lifts Baseball Over CCNY in Non-Conference Victory

Written by Joshua Soto (SJC-LI Sports Information)

Patchogue, NY| The St. Joseph's College (L.I.) baseball team tallied seven runs on seven hits to take down the City College of New York 7-4 in a non-conference matchup at Gregg Alfano field on Tuesday night. The Golden Eagles improve to 14-7 on the year, as the Beavers drop to 6-10.

Vincent Biordi led the team in hits finishing 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs and scored a run in the contest. Dylan Piscitelli and Andrew Libertelli both tallied a hit and Sean Balsam's two-run blast in the bottom of the fourth was his first career homerun.
SJC was first on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning, as Tyler Costa singled to left center, advanced to third on a Piscitelli single to left center, and was driven home by Michael Ferrufino.

The Beavers scored their first run, in the fourth inning, when a leadoff error and a double put runners on the corners with no outs. After a strikeout by Nick Mannario, CCNY's Anthony Cacchione drove in the tying run with a sac fly to right field.

In the bottom of the fourth, with two outs and no one on, Biordi worked a walked and both Libertelli and Montoro singled to load the bases for Costa, who drew a walk to drive in the go-ahead run.
The Golden Eagles took command in the fifth inning as Ferrufino led off with a walk and advanced to second on a passed ball.  With the bases loaded, Michael Reda drove in Ferrufino from third with a chopper to the third baseman, and Biordi plated two more runs with a double down the left-field line for the 5-1 advantage.

CCNY pulled within three, 5-2, in the next frame, with a double to right center after a Jonathan Abreu single and a stolen base placed a runner on second.

SJC got two runs back in the bottom of the sixth as Balsam slugged a two-run homerun over the left field wall to take a commanding 7-2 lead.

The Beavers would score a run in the eight and ninth inning, but it wasn't enough as the Anthony Caminiti recorded the final two outs for the Golden Eagles for the 7-2 win.

The Golden Eagles will take on the College of Mount St. Vincent in a Skyline Conference matchup at Gregg Alfano Field on Thursday, April 13 at 12 PM. Live stats will be available here.