Leesburg, FL – Two days of cancellations and another two and a half hour delay passed by before the Clarkson University Baseball team could open the 2010 season, and the start was a middling one as the Golden Knights split a doubleheader against Messiah College, dropping the opener 4-2 before earning a win in the literal nightcap 7-4.
In game one, the Golden Knights got on the scoreboard first with a two-out solo home run from sophomore Jerry Coleman (Potsdam, NY), who took the first pitch he saw in his second at bat and ripped a shot to straight away centerfield. However, in the bottom of the fourth, Messiah struck for four runs as the first three hitters reached base via hit to open the inning. A two-run single by Jon Shenk gave the Falcons the lead, and run-scoring singles by Adam Ranck and Sheldon Witmer gave Messiah a 4-1 lead.
The Knights would scratch back a run in the sixth inning thanks to a sacrifice fly from Dan Padrazo (Setaucket, NY), which plated Brett Peplowski (Albany, NY). Peplowski opened the inning with a single to right and David Kinney (Mexico, NY) followed with a double to put runners on second and third before Steve Magovney (Watertown, NY) loaded the bases with a walk, setting up Padrazo’s sac fly. Unfortunately, Clarkson was held scoreless for the remainder of the game and finished on the losing end, 4-2.
Junior David Goerold (Clifton Park, NY) took the loss for the Knights, going three and two-thirds innings before being pulled because of a restricted pitch count. Anthony Farrell (Topsham, ME) came on in relief and didn’t allow run in his two-plus innings of work.
In the second game of the doubleheader, Messiah scored a run in the first inning, but the Knights responded back with a run in the bottom of the inning as Kinney singled home Matt Curry (Richland, NY). Clarkson then added two more in second inning, stringing together four straight two-out hits, including RBI-singles from Curry and Brady Torbitt (Fulton, NY). The Falcons responded with an unearned run in the top of the third inning to pull to within a run, but Torbitt delivered a run-scoring double to plate Curry in the fourth for a 4-2 advantage.
In the top of the fifth inning, Messiah scored twice, but once again Clarkson’s offense was able to respond with two of its own. Steve Magovney moved a pair of runners over with a sacrifice bunt, and Dan Padrazo followed with his second sacrifice fly of the game for the go-ahead RBI. David Kinney came home on a passed ball just a few pitches later to make the score 6-4. After a line-drive solo home run by Coleman in the bottom of the sixth inning, reliever Alex Giovannone (New Hartford, NY) struck out a pair in the top of the seventh inning to hold on for the victory.
Bryan Chudy (Goshen, NY) made the start for the Knights and pitched well in his debut, striking out five in four-plus innings before Giovannone came on in the fifth. Coleman finished 2-for-3 and Torbitt went 2-for-4.
