SVC runs past MCLA 10-4 in Baseball

Courtesy of SVC Athletics

BENNINGTON, Vt. — The Southern Vermont College baseball team scored in five of its eight trips to the plate Wednesday afternoon as the Mountaineers defeated visiting Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 10-4 in non-conference play at Bill Epstein Field.

The victory improves SVC's overall record to 10-9 while the Trailblazers fall to an even 9-9 with the loss.

After MCLA took a 4-3 lead in the top of the fourth, the Mountaineers were able to keep the visitors from crossing the plate for the rest of the game as SVC tacked up three in the fourth, two in the sixth and another pair in the seventh for the win.

Southern Vermont is back at it on Thursday as the Mountaineers visit Bard College for a 4 p.m. non-conference tilt while MCLA next hosts Mass. Maritime Academy on Saturday for a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.

Southern Vermont junior catcher Richard Rios (Pico Rivera, Calif.) registered his third three-hit game in a four-game stretch, going 3-3 with a walk, two RBIs and a run scored. Junior second baseman RJ Pingitore (Amsterdam, N.Y.) extended his hitting streak to five games with a 1-4 showing at the dish, scoring two runs while batting in a third. Senior right fielder Roland Hernandez (Pico Rivera, Calif.) was 2-4 with three RBIs while senior center fielder Chris Nicastro Jr.(Kenilworth, N.J.) was 2-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Nicastro was a rock at short for SVC, recording a career-high nine assists in as many chances on the defensive side of things.

Mountaineer sophomore R.J. Henle (Plantation, Fla.) picked up his first win of the season on the bump (1-0), giving up just three earned runs (one unearned) in seven innings of work. MCLA senior righty Tyler Benoit (North Adams, Mass.) suffered the loss (1-1) after going four innings with the start.

Trailblazer freshman left fielder Ryan Grande (Pittsfield, Mass.) was 2-3 for the visitors with a pair of runs scored while junior first baseman Slayter Aubin(Adams, Mass.) went 2-3 with a run scored. Senior center fielder Mike Mancivalano (Pittsfield, Mass.) and senior right fielder Chase Preite (North Adams, Mass.) were both 1-4 with an RBI in the effort.

MCLA got the scoring started right away after senior shortstop Mike Sullivan(Wareham, Mass.) led-off the game with a single to right. He swiped second to get into scoring position and moved up to third on a subsequent ground out. Preite then sent one down towards short, allowing Sullivan to trot home with the first run of the day. Nicastro then made his second put-out at first to get the Mountaineers back in the dugout.

The Trailblazer lead would not last for long as SVC put up a pair in the bottom of the frame. Sciara and Nicastro got aboard with no outs and were able to advance to third and second, respectively, on a wild pitch. Pingitore then grounded out to short to bring in Sciara with the tying run. Nicastro moved up to third on another wild pitch before a grounder to third saw him cross home for the 2-1 Mountaineer advantage.

The top of the second saw MCLA answer with a lone run to tie the contest after Grande got plunked to start the inning. A hit-and-run allowed him to motor around to third, and he was able to come in to score when a liner down to first was dropped. The scoring continued into the bottom of the box, however, as SVC tacked up one of its own to regain the lead. Freshman third baseman Jake Sisk (Tallahassee, Fla.) singled up the middle to lead-off the inning, and a sacrifice bunt then moved him into scoring position. Nicastro came through with an RBI single to right that gave way for Sisk to touch third and come across the plate to make it a 3-2 Southern Vermont edge.

Neither team amounted much offense in the third before the Trailblazers went ahead with a pair in the fourth. A lead-off single would be quickly erased as the batter tried to stretch it into a double, only to be gunned out at second by SVC freshman Luigi Magliocca (Broadalbin-Perth, N.Y.). That wouldn't slow down the MCLA bats, however, as two singles ensued to put a pair of ducks on the pond for Mancivalano; he came through for the Trailblazers with a double down the line in left to score Grande, and another grounder to Nicastro then brought Aubin in with the go-ahead tally.

That would be the last lead for the visitors with SVC going back in front in the bottom of the fourth. Two walks and a hit batter loaded the bases with two outs, and Rios then wore a pitch for the tying run to walk across home. Hernandez followed with a single to the gap in right center, giving way for a pair of Mountaineers to come in and score to make it a 6-4 ballgame.  

The fifth was also scoreless as both teams went down in order, and three ground outs in the top of the sixth kept the score intact. SVC provided a little more support for Henle in the home half of the inning with another pair of runs, scoring both with two outs. Rios hit a come-backer up the middle to score Pingitore, and he then pulled off the two-base steal after the throw down to second was kicked into left. Hernandez slapped a single down the right field line, scoring Rios for the 8-4 lead.

Nicastro continued his solid day in the field as he provided assists for all three outs of the seventh to bring the Mountaineers back to the plate. SVC tacked up two more to extend the upper hand, the first run scoring when Sciara tagged a one-out double to left. He then scored from second on a single down the line in left, crossing the plate with what proved to be the final run of the day.

A double and a passed ball put Preite on third for MCLA in the eighth, but once again Nicastro collected and calmly tossed the ball over to first to get Southern Vermont out of the inning. SVC also stranded a runner at third in the bottom of the box, sending the game to the ninth with the hosts holding on to their 10-4 lead. A single and a walk put the first two Trailblazers on base to start the frame before Mountaineer sophomore reliever Joshua Hay (So. Glens Falls, N.Y.) painted the outside corner for the first out. The next batter lined over to Pingitore at second, and he made the easy flip to first for the game-ending double play.