AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The Endicott baseball team knocked Rutgers-Camden pitching around for 18 hits resulting in a 14-7 victory over the Scarlet Raptors at the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex main field. Endicott improved to 3-1 overall and 2-1 down at the 2017 RussMatt Central Florida Invitational with the win.
Senior shortstop Mike Kochiss (Fairfield, Conn.) led the barrage of offense with a 4-for-5 performance at the plate capped off with a two-run homerun off the scoreboard in deep left to help put the game away. His two doubles were part of six extra-base hits for the Gulls. Kochiss finished the game with four runs scored and two RBIs.
Joining Kochiss with multiple hits in today's victory were graduate student third baseman Anthony Serina (Portsmouth, R.I.), junior left fielder Nick Berno (St. Albans, Vt.), junior second baseman Michael DeDonato (Chelmsford, Mass.), and junior outfielder Michael Casciano (Somers, Conn.). DeDonato hit a triple and finished with three runs scored and two RBI, Serina drove in one with a RBI single and scored twice, Casciano singled home a run in the seventh inning, and Berno crossed home plate twice.
Endicott's offense scored early and often, plating three in the top of the first and two more in the top of the second to go up 5-0. The Blue and Green held a 8-5 lead going into the top of the seventh before they separated from Rutgers-Camden with a four-run frame to go up 12-5. Kochiss' two-run bomb in the top of the eighth capped off the scoring for the Gulls.
On the mound, sophomore lefty Liam Burke (Westwood, Mass.) impressed in his first collegiate start despite giving up three earned runs as he finished with three strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings pitched. Burke gave way to senior reliever Colby Morris (Newburyport, Mass.) who went two innings before handing the ball to graduate student Nick Quattro (Canton, Conn.). Quattro earned the win (1-0) by tossing 2 2/3 innings of no-hit ball with four strikeouts.
Rutgers-Camden saw sophomore centerfielder Peter Farlow (Gloucester City, N.J.) go 2-for-4 with a run and a RBI and two walks out of the leadoff spot. Second baseman Chris Jones (Sewell, N.J.) got a pair of hits including a two-RBI single in the fourth inning.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Today was the first-ever meeting between Endicott and Rutgers-Camden.
- Endicott swiped three more bases to mark the fourth consecutive game with at least three stolen bases. Freshman catcher Brendan McDonald (Quincy, Mass.) led with two.
- Endicott's 18 hit were the most thus far in the 2017 season.
- Freshman catcher Ian Schmidt (Plymouth, Conn.) had a pinch-hit single in the top of the ninth for his first collegiate base hit.
FOR THE FOES
- Raptors senior outfielder Brandon Cornelius (Sicklerville, N.J.) had two doubles out of the six-hole while scoring twice and registering a RBI.
- Rutgers-Camden committed five errors in the loss.
- Rutgers-Camden's three pitchers combined to give up nine earned runs but did manage to strike out seven batters.
WHAT'S NEXT
Endicott (3-1) has an off day on Wednesday before taking on Ill.-Wesleyan on Thursday, March 16 at 3:30 p.m. at Lake Myrtle Sports Complex, Field 5. Rutgers-Camden (3-4) is back on the field tomorrow afternoon at 3:15 p.m. against Eastern Conn. St.