By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A pair of big innings proved to be the undoing of the Monroe Community College baseball team Saturday afternoon.
The Northampton Spartans used a nine-run sixth inning in game one and a five-run fifth in the nightcap to sweep MCC (11-4/7-4) on a blustery day at Tribune Field.
Tribune game-one starter Frankie Pizzo (Shenendehowa) retired seven of eight batters without allowing a hit over that stretch heading into the sixth inning when Tyler Melko doubled to left field. Melko was the first of 12 batters to stride to the plate as the Spartans turned a one-run deficit into an eight-run advantage.
Matt Pilarczyk (Bishop Reding Catholic/Milton, ON) plated Brennen Smith (Webster Thomas) with a seeing-eye single to give Monroe a 3-2 edge heading into the fifth.
Smith led the inning with a base hit to left and moved to third on a TJ Lucey (Faiport) hit-and-run single. One out later, Pilarczyk bounced a single over the bag at second and past the outstretched gloves of Northampton’s shortstop and second baseman.
But the lead was short-lived.
Northampton pounded out seven of their 13 game-one hits in the sixth frame.
Ryan Marketell (Webster Thomas) looked ready to carry Monroe to a triumph in game two. The 6-foot-5 starter set down the first seven he faced and eight of nine to open the night cap. First time through the order, the right-hander fanned four and allowed just one ball out of the infield.
Northhampton struck for one run on two hits and a wild pitch in the third before the decisive rally in the fifth.
Phil Ferranti (Webster Schroeder) and Smith delivered back-to-back RBI singles for a 3-1 Tribune lead after three innings.
Logan Martella-Tasick (Penfield) connected on his first career collegiate round-tripper with a one-out solo shot in the first inning.
Martella-Tasick finished with two hits and two RBI in the game. Cas Sobaszek led the bottom of the fifth with a standup triple to right center. Martella-Tasick pushed the run across with an RBI groundout.
Ferranti and Sobaszek collected two hits apiece in game two.
Northampton sent eight to the plate and took advantage of a Monroe error in the decisive fifth.
MCC fell to 11-11 with the setbacks.
The same two teams meet again on Sunday. A noon first pitch is scheduled at Tribune Field.
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