By PATRICK McGLYNN
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Behind the bat of Matthew Mastroianni (SUNY Oneonta) and the arm of James McCarty (SUNY Oneonta), the Syracuse Salt Cats defeated the Syracuse Jr. Chiefs 5-3 in New York Collegiate Baseball League action Saturday night at Onondaga Community College.
Mastroianni got the game started on the right foot when he doubled to center field in the first at bat of the day. He would come around to score on Brian Billelo’s (Concordia) single to give the Salt Cats a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
“I was just trying to stay simple and get a few good pitches to hit,” said Mastroianni.
“Matt Mastroianni is a veteran college player. He gives his heart and soul,” said Salt Cats manager Mike Martinez. “He just goes out and plays fundamental baseball the way it should be played.”
Mastroianni would help add to the Salt Cats lead in the fifth. He again led the inning off with a double, this time he hit into the left centerfield gap. An errant throw by Jr. Chiefs pitcher Jean-Carlos Berasgoico (Southern Vermont) on a ball hit by Timothy Hunter (Tyler JC) allowed Mastroianni to score for a second time. Hunter would advance to second on a passed ball and then would score on another single from Billelo.
McCarty was untouchable on the mound for the first five innings. He retired 16 of the first 19 batters he faced and did not allow a hit in the first five frames.
In the sixth inning, the Jr. Chiefs were finally able to break through against McCarty. Danny Walczak (Aurora) and Justin Healey (Widener) worked walks and then Shane Trevino (IPFW) singled to right field for the Jr. Chiefs’ first hit of the game, scoring Walczak. Joseph Boland (St. Thomas Aquinas) would follow with a double to the center field wall that scored both Healey and Trevino to tie the game at 3.
“Shane’s been hot all season, he’s really carried the team offensively,” said Jr. Chiefs manager Matt Colbert. “Joe’s big hit gave us a lot of momentum, but we did not go out in the top half of the inning and shut it down.”
The tie score would not last long. Billelo picked up his third hit of the game to lead off the top of the seventh. He moved to third base on a bunt and a fly ball, bringing up Adam Thoryk (Alma) with two outs. Thoryk came through with a single through the left side to plate Billelo and restore the Salt Cats’ lead.
The Salt Cats would add an insurance run in the eighth inning. Walks to Mastroianni, Hunter, and Jose Colon (Rutgers U Camden) would fill the bases with Salt Cats. Billelo was next up and he would be hit by a pitch to score Mastroianni for the third time, giving the Salt Cats a 5-3 lead they would finish with.
McCarty earned the victory with a final line of six innings pitched, allowing three runs on just two hits and three walks, to go along with two strikeouts. Erik Johansen (SUNY Oneonta) and Kyle Kuhr (Siena Heights) each pitched a shutout inning in relief of McCarty. Johansen would finish with two walks and two strikeouts while Kuhr allowed one hit and got one punchout. Matthew Colon (Cumberland County College) would pitch a scoreless ninth inning for his third save of the year.
“Our pitching has been really really good,” said Martinez. “Our pitching has gotten us where we are today.”
On the Jr. Chiefs side, Berasgoico started and pitched 4.1 innings, giving up three runs on five hits and four walks. Matthew Wood (Salve Regina) pitched the next 1.2 innings and did not allow a run. Zachary Belcher (Union) threw 1.1 innings and gave up two runs on two hits and three walks to pick up the loss. Tyler Johnson (Whittier) closed the game out for the Jr. Chiefs, pitching 1.1 scoreless innings and allowed just one hit.
Mastroianni would finish 2-for-3 with two walks and three runs scored. Bilello went 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored. Trevino had hits in two of his three at-bats and a single RBI while Boland had just the double in his four at-bats and finished with two RBI.
The two teams will meet again Sunday night at 7:00 pm at Onondaga Community College, this time with the Salt Cats in the home dugout and the Jr. Chiefs acting as the visiting team.
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