SYRACUSE, NY — The Syracuse Jr. Chiefs received 16 shutout innings from their pitching staff in a double header sweep against the Oneonta Outlaws.
Jr. Chiefs starter Austin Munn (Ave Maria U) threw a complete game shutout in an 8-0 game two win, and Mike Bittel (Seton Hill U) tossed six shutout innings in a 4-0 game one victory.
The Jr. Chiefs had an excellent scoring opportunity in the bottom of the first inning of game two. Nicholas Sinay (Buffalo U of) legged out an infield single and stole second base. Aaron Pigna (Ave Maria U) followed with a walk and Alex Caruso (St Johns U) moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt.
Outlaws starter Michael Calkins (Tampa U of) was able to escape after striking out Stanley Susaña (St. Thomas Aquinas Col) and Ryan Clark (North Carolina Greensboro U of).
The Jr. Chiefs struck first in the second inning when John Cialone (Villanova U) got things going with a line drive single to right. After Calkins walked the number nine hitter Connor Mathis (Mt Union Col), Sinay drilled a three-run home run down the left field line to give the Jr. Chiefs a 3-0 lead. The home run was Sinay’s first of the season.
The Outlaws countered by loading the bases in the top of the third inning. After a leadoff single by Ryan Tomita (Grand Canyon U), Munn walked two batters to load the bases for number three hitter Brian Kraft (Grand Canyon U).
Kraft worked deep in to the count, but hit a slow roller back to Munn, who threw home for the force out. The Jr. Chiefs righty got out of the inning after striking out Howard Joe (Mercer U) and kept the score 3-0.
Oneonta rallied in the top of the fourth after Brandon Stephens (Georgia U of) reached on an error by Stanley Susaña.
Sean Getman (Rhode Island Col) followed with a bloop single to shallow left to put runners on first and second with one out. Munn escaped the inning after inducing Ryan Tomita (Grand Canyon U) to ground in to a double play.
The Jr. Chiefs added another run in the fifth after Sinay got things started with a bunt single and stole second base. He advanced to third on a sacrifice fly and scored on a passed ball to put Syracuse up 4-0.
The Jr. Chiefs added more runs in the sixth after recording three consecutive singles to open up the inning. Pinch hitter Connor Martin (Clarkson U) pushed one through to right field and plated DH Gabe Levanti (Virginia Tech U) to increase the lead to five.
Syracuse added a sixth run on a passed ball, and Calkins was taken out of the game in favor of Tsuyoshi Horibata (Binghamton U). With men on second and third and no one out, Horibata struck out Sinay but allowed Hostrander to score on a wild pitch and Martin to score on an RBI ground out from Pigna.
Munn recovered from his shaky fourth inning to shut down the Outlaws through the sixth inning. However, he ran in to some trouble in the seventh after allowing a leadoff double to Brandon Stephens (Georgia U of) and walking Tomita.
After a passed ball and a stolen base, Munn found himself in trouble with two men in scoring position and one out. He recovered to strike out Derek Hirsch (Wofford Col) and forced Jake Levine (Brown U) to ground out to end the game.
Munn finished the game and recorded a complete game shutout, only allowing four hits, three walks and seven strikeouts. His performance was a terrific encore performance to Bittel’s game one showing.
Bittel kept the Outlaws at bay early three perfect innings to start game one. On his birthday, Bittel (W, 6 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 9 K) struck out seven of his first nine batters.
The Jr. Chiefs offense couldn’t give him the lead earl, however, as they squandered scoring opportunities in both the first and second innings.
Syracuse got two singles in the bottom of the first, one from Sinay and one from Susaña but was unable to capitalize after cleanup hitter Brian Burns (Ithaca Col) grounded in to an inning-ending double play.
The Jr. Chiefs wasted another great opportunity in the second inning when they loaded the bases with one out, but couldn’t capitalize after catcher Noel Garcia (Northwood U) hit the ball of the end of his bat. Oneonta starter Matthew Milburn (Wofford Col) picked up the ball and tossed it home for the force out and then forced the Jr. Chiefs number nine hitter Gary Jones (Delaware U of) to fly out to right.
Bittel encountered some trouble in the fourth inning after hitting Brian Kraft (Grand Canyon U) and walking Joe with two outs. He recovered, though, with a strike out to end the inning.
The Jr. Chiefs offense went back to work in the fourth inning and gave Bittel a lead. Shortstop Kenny Hostrander (Eastern Kentucky U) opened the inning with a double to deep left field. Martin laid down a bunt, but beat out the throw to put runners on the corners and no one out. Garcia popped out to second, but Gary Jones followed with a walk.
Outlaws manager Joe Hughes removed Milburn (L, 5 IP, 3 R, 7 H, 3 BB, 1 K) following the walk and brought in righty Heath Holder (Georgia St U) to get out of the jam. He induced a slow dribbler from Sinay, but could not field the ball cleanly and Hostrander crossed the plate, giving the Jr. Chiefs a 1-0 lead.
Pigna followed with a two-run single up the middle to put Syracuse up by three. After a double-steal from Sinay and Pigna put runners on second and third, Susaña drove in Sinay with a ground out to short, increasing his team’s lead to four.
Holder and Bittel matched zeros in the sixth, but Bittel exited the game after six and gave way to reliever Alan Komorowski (Washington U). The lefty ran in to a bit of trouble, allowing two men to reach base with one out, but was able to escape the inning unscathed.
Holder was pulled in favor of Zach Moreau (Grand Canyon U) in the sixth and he responded with a one-two-three inning before being replaced in the seventh by Horibata who countered with a perfect inning of his own.
After both teams went scoreless in the eighth, Zac Connelly (Tampa U of) entered the game to secure the victory for the Jr. Chiefs.
Connelly worked around a lead off walk and struck out two batters to close the door.
The Jr. Chiefs improved to 7-5 with their sweep, while Oneonta dropped back down to .500 at 5-5. Syracuse will hit the road tomorrow in a 5:00 p.m. matchup with red-hot Sherrill at Noyes Park.
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