CATSKILL — The Storm collected 12 hits en route to a 9-3 victory over the Knights in Tuesday’s Hudson River Collegiate Baseball League game at Ricky Cramer Field.
Coach Johnson of the Knights started his ace David Yankowski from Canisius College on the mound, hoping to shutdown the Storm. Yankowski pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowing four hits, three walks and two earned runs and recording two strikeouts.
Big Tony Poveda from SUNY Oswego entered the game pitching one inning, he didn’t allow a hit but did walk two batters and allowed two earned runs to score with one strikeout. Coach Johnson again went to his bullpen, this time to get HVCC’s Donny Chrysler who pitched 1 2/3 innings.
Chrysler was roughed up by the Storm hitters allowing seven hits, five earned runs with three walks and two strikeouts. Jake Siter came on to close the game, pitching one quiet inning. Siter did not allow a hit, a walk and recorded two K’s.
Storm Manager Ed DuPont sent the University of South Carolina-Aiken’s lefty Connor Christensen to the bump to start the pitching for the Storm. Christensen pitched two innings, allowing one hit with two earned runs, three walks and four strikeouts.
In the third inning, DuPont handed the ball to Franklin Pierce University’s Ray Seward. another hard throwing lefty who pitched two innings, allowing just one hit, one walk, three strikeouts and did not allow a run.
Seward was lifted and SUNY Schenectady’s right-hander Jake Popiel entered, pitching one inning and allowing two hits one walk and getting one strikeout and allowing one run. Ethan Caiazza, who has committed to Skidmore College, pitched one inning with one walk and a strikeout, but did not allow a hit or any runs.
Justin Osborn came on to close the game out for the Storm. Osborn has committed to St John Fisher College. The young lefty did not disappoint, pitching the final frame and getting one Knight to strikeout. Osborn did not allow a hit, a walk or any runs.
Knights offense was lead by Siena College catcher Johnny Wheeler. Wheeler went 2 for 3 with a double, a home run and 3 RBI. FairField University’s Chris Polletta went 1 for 4 with a double while Ryan Weiss from SUNY Oswego hit a double.
Cornell University’s Jason Mark, Dutchess Community College’s Mason Glenn and American International College’s Alex Morse all went 2 for 4 with two singles for the Storm. Angel Rodriguez from the University of Hartford went 1 for 2 with a single.
St. John Fisher outfielder Kurt Forsell hit a grand slam home run. Chris Davignon from SUNY Albany went 2 for 3 with a double, a single and two RBI while Nick Cimillo from Manhattan College went 2 for 3 with a home run and a single, getting three RBI.
“I’m proud of our guys,” Dupont said. “The pitching staff has high quality guys who all compliment one another. Coach Kniffin is doing a great job with them. The hitting is coming along and we played great defense tonight.”