The New York University baseball team was defeated 6-2 by St. Joseph's College-Brooklyn at home at MCU Park on Friday, April 10, in Brooklyn, NY.
Jacob Bader took the hill for the Violets (8-17), making his first career collegiate start. The junior, who has spent the season as a relief pitcher, tossed 6.2 innings of quality ball, allowing six hits and striking out two. The New York City native was charged with two earned runs, although the second scored after he was pulled in the seventh inning due to a limited pitch count.
"When he got to the field and came through the tunnel, we looked at him and just knew we were going to start him," said NYU Head Coach
Doug Kimbler. "We gave him the ball and he did a great job. This is the most pitches he's thrown in probably two years and we were just planning on getting him three or four (innings), but he gave us six and two-thirds."
NYU fell behind early to the Bears (10-11), as Bader allowed a leadoff home run in the top of the first inning, but settled in for the duration of his start.
The Violets took a 2-1 lead after scoring single runs in the bottom halves of the first and second innings.
Adrian Spitz factored into both of NYU's runs, leading off the first with a single followed by a stolen base to get himself into scoring position. After
Christian Bloom singled to put runners on the corners,
Jonathan Iaione hit a deep sacrifice fly to bring Spitz home. Spitz also knocked in a run in the second, singling home
Chase Denison from second base to give the Violets the lead.
Both squads went scoreless over the next four innings before St. Joseph's-Brooklyn scored three in the top of the seventh and then one run in each of the top halves of the eighth and ninth to come away with the four-run win.
"There are some things that have to be addressed, but this is a positive day," continued Kimbler. "Not necessarily a positive day in the win column, but we did a lot of good things in the first 6.2 innings of the game."
NOTABLES:- Spitz finished the day 2-for-4 at the plate with a run and an RBI. He also had a nice assist, throwing out a runner from left field who was trying to advance to third in the top of the first inning.
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Michael Vokulich and
Scott Hilbrandt each went 2-for-4 on the afternoon.
The Violets and Bears will be back at it tomorrow, Saturday, April 11, for a doubleheader at MCU Park. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 12:00 pm.
