The New York University baseball team swept the City College of New York (CCNY) in a doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon, April 29, at home at MCU Park in Brooklyn, NY.
NYU picked up the 9-8 comeback victory in the first game, followed by a 9-3 win in game two. With the two victories, the Violets improved to 21-21 on the season, reaching the .500 plateau with just two regular-season games remaining in their inaugural Division III varsity season.
"I've seen the guys mature a lot these last two months," said NYU Head Coach
Doug Kimbler. "We are no longer coming to the park and finding a way to the lose. Instead, we have the mentality that someone is going to have to play very well to beat us."
CCNY (13-15) jumped out to the early lead in the first game, scoring six runs in the top of the third inning. After falling behind 6-0, NYU outscored the Beavers 9-2 in the final four innings to come away with the 9-8 victory.
"I think our concentration is the same whether we are down 1-0 or 6-0," continued Kimbler. "It's all about getting the first guy on and going from there."
Michael Anastasiou picked up his first career win with one inning of work. The rookie right hander entered the game in the top of the fifth inning with the score knotted at 8-8 and set down CCNY in order, including an inning-ending swinging strikeout.
Matthew Wells pitched a scoreless sixth for NYU, and
Matthew Millus followed with a perfect seventh. The freshman closer sent down the Beavers 1-2-3 to secure his seventh save of the season.
NYU exploded for four runs in the bottom of each of the third and fourth innings.
Sy Cohen and
Jonathan Iaione each picked up RBIs in the third and
CJ Picerni added a two-RBI double.
Matthew Miller,
Christian Bloom,
Adrian Spitz, and Picerni all notched RBIs in the fourth. Miller knocked in the game-winner with an RBI single in the home half of the fifth, as well.
Chase Dension was on the hill for the Violets in game two and pitched a gem. The lefty tossed a complete game, scattered three hits, struck out five, walked none, and allowed just one earned run. Denison is now 3-4 on the season.
"Chase was very impressive today," Kimbler said. "Going into the season we talked about our pitchers throwing 80-pitch complete games, and when you get one it's always great."
History was made in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Spitz clobbered a pitch and sent it over the scoreboard in left-centerfield for the first home NYU homerun in Division III history.
Tied 1-1 in the bottom of the third, the Violets plated four runs to take a lead they would never relinquish. Picerni knocked one in, as did
Michael Vokulich and
Scott Hilbrandt. Vokulich also scored on an error for the last run. NYU put up a three-spot in the fifth, as well, highlighted by Bloom's two-RBI single to left.
NOTABLES:-
Matthew Miller was 3-for-4 on the day with two RBIs and three runs scored.
"He's hot right now and he's seeing the ball well," said Kimbler. "When you get hot, you start feeling good about being at the plate."
- Picerni racked up four RBIs and two runs scored on the afternoon.
- Bloom finished the doubleheader with three RBIs and two runs scored.
- Spitz scored three runs and had two RBIs.
NYU finishes off its regular season on Saturday, May 2, when it faces Lehman College for a road doubleheader in the Bronx. First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 am.
Live stats will be available.
