POMONA, N.Y. – The Concordia Clippers baseball team returned to action on Friday evening visiting Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) North Division foe Dominican (N.Y.) College at Palisades Credit Union Park. Concordia extended their winning streak to four games after taking both games from the Chargers, 7-3 and 9-4.
In the first game Dominican would score the game's first run in the bottom of the fourth as the Clippers responded in their next at-bats with a pair of runs to lead 2-1. Junior Jaylin Martinez (Paramus, N.J.) and freshman Jake Partridge (Bardonia, N.Y.) both provided the RBI's for Concordia in the inning.
An inning later the Clippers added a lone run as junior Tyler Epple (Levittown, N.Y.) hit a RBI double to left-center field that brought home senior Joseph Davide (West Hempstead, N.Y.) to give Concordia the 3-1 advantage. The Chargers would knot the score at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth off a two-run home run.
The top of the eighth would be a big inning for the Clippers as Partridge's single up the middle would allow junior Andre Jackson (Massapequa, N.Y.) to score the go-ahead run from second base. Davide added two RBI's off his double later on in the inning and a bases loaded walk for freshman Hermes Abreu (Bayshore, N.Y.) brought in Concordia's final run of the inning as the Clippers now led 7-3. Dominican was unable to mount a late comeback in their final two at-bats as Concordia took the 7-3 victory.
Junior John Wall (Levittown, N.Y.) earned his fourth win of the season for the Clippers as he allowed two earned runs on eight hits while striking out five batters in 7.0 innings of work. Senior Maurizio Devita (Franklin Square, N.Y.) finished the final 2.0 innings as he would strike out two batters and not allow anyone to reach base.
Game two saw Concordia stay aggressive offensively as the Clippers scored three runs during their first at-bats with sophomore Joseph Impeduglia (Staten Island, N.Y.), Epple, and Abreu all recording RBI's. The Chargers would answer in the home half of the inning with a pair of runs to cut their deficit to one. Abreu added his second RBI of the game in the top of the third off a single through the left side of the infield as the Clippers added two more runs in the fourth with Impeduglia providing a two-RBI single up the middle as Concordia now led 6-2.
A lone run for Dominican in the bottom of the fourth would cut the Clippers' lead to three runs as Concordia would gain some breathing room with three runs in the last inning. Sophomore Peter Lawless (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) recorded a pinch-hit RBI single while sophomore Nick Vlahakis (Oceanside, N.Y.) drove in a pair of runs off his double down the right field line as the Clippers led 9-3. The Chargers managed only one run in their final at-bats as Concordia claimed the 9-4 win and took three out of four games against Dominican in their season series.
Senior Dylan Lawrence (Queens, N.Y.) picked up his team-leading fifth victory of the season as he pitched 7.0 innings allowing four earned runs on 10 hits while striking out eight batters.
The Clippers (13-14, 9-5 CACC) will return home tomorrow to host Wilmington (Del.) University at Clipper Baseball Field. First pitch of the CACC doubleheader is set for 12 p.m. as fans unable to attend can follow the action by clicking on the live stats link under the baseball schedule page on ConcordiaClippers.com.