The Quinnipiac Bobcats were able to continue their run of form, winning their fourth in the last five games against the St. Peter’s Peacocks Saturday afternoon. Getting the lead early with good discipline as well as offense and defense solidified the win in New Jersey.
The Bobcats were ready from the beginning loading the bases with walks and got a run from the situation going up 1-0 but were unable to do further damage in the first.
St. Peter’s was able to tie the game in the bottom half of the inning with three hits against senior pitcher Andrew Rubayo.
The Bobcats continued to look dangerous in the second but left runners stranded, leaving an opening for the Peacocks to exploit. The Peacocks did just that and took the lead on a wild pitch with Rubayo earning two strikeouts in the process.
The third started strong with senior infielder Alex Izarry working the count earning a walk, which Balcer added to with a single to center. With runners on first and second and no outs, graduate student James Marino laid down a bunt advancing both of them into scoring positions.
After a strikeout, freshman outfielder Chase Camac lined a hit down the left field line scoring both of them seeing the Bobcats reclaim their one run lead.
Camac then scored from a bunt by sophomore catcher Cole Constable, extending the Bobcats making it 4-2.
The fourth and fifth innings for both teams consisted of a walk and a hit here and there but neither team could put runs on the board.
In the top of the sixth, two singles and a hit-by-pitch saw the Bobcats with the bases loaded and only one out. A sacrifice fly from freshman infielder Peyton Vancas scored one, but the Bobcats couldn’t find another hit as the golden opportunity wasn’t fully taken advantage of.
The bottom of the sixth got off to a good start as Rubayo continued his dominance on the bump getting his 10th strikeout of the day. However, a single and a walk lead to an RBI by freshman first baseman Aidan Florence.
Senior pitcher Mason Ulsh takes the bump and St. Peter’s takes more swings leading to a diving catch by Marino in left, saving a run. Marino’s efforts weren’t quite enough however as Senior outfielder Lucas Schwartz lined a ball past the infield cutting the Bobcats lead to one.
The top of the seventh saw the Bobcats utilizing their bunts as second and third were occupied and no outs were recorded. St. Peters made a pitching change but it didn’t stop senior first baseman Christian Smith from doubling, scoring both the runs extending the Bobcats lead to three.
The bottom of the seventh continued the scoring trend as senior infielder Alex Manent hit a two-run home run over the right field fence once again cutting the Quinnipiac lead to one late in the game.
Another Quinnipiac pitching change saw sophomore pitcher J.C. Franconere took control of the game by getting out of the inning despite having runners at second and third with one out.
The Bobcats headed into the eighth inning up 7-6 needing an insurance run or two.
Vancas found himself on second base with Camac at the plate who had already doubled in the game. Camac knew the first time was so nice, and had to do it twice by driving in Vancas and trying for third but getting thrown out in the process.
From then on Franconere took care of business in the bottom of the eighth with a one, two, three inning tallying two strikeouts in the process keeping the 8-6 Bobcat lead intact.
The Bobcats were unable to do further damage in the ninth but it didn’t matter as senior pitcher Matt Alduino closed the doors on St. Peters got three strikeouts improving the Bobcats record to 10-14 on the season.
Despite runs coming from St. Peters, the Bobcats continued to get runners in scoring positions and took advantage of good pitching from Rubayo, Franconere and Alduino. Quinnipiac will play their final game of the series on Sunday, March 29 hoping to sweep the Peacocks. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
