Box Score
Kings Point, N.Y.— The John Jay baseball team upped its current winning streak to three as the Bloodhounds defeated the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), 12-8, at Lower Roosevelt Field on Wednesday. The Bloodhounds are now 5-8 on the season.
John Jay, whose 12 runs was the most they have scored this season on a road contest, grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top half of the first inning as Chris Nastasi (Bayville, NY / IMG Academy), who was 3-for-5 with a run and four RBI, ripped a two out single up the middle for one of his RBI, scoring Jorge Rosado (Santo Domingo, DR / Martin Luther King) from second for the game’s opening run.
The host Mariners evened the score in the bottom of the first on an unearned run with two out. But John Jay took the lead for good in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly by Edwin Hernandez (Brooklyn, NY / Murry Bergtraum) to score Steven Roman (Middletown, NY / Chapel Field Christian), who led off the inning with a base hit to left.
John Jay tacked on two more in the top of the sixth with another key two out hit to take a 4-1 lead. Anthony Cestaro (Paramus, NJ / Paramus), who was 3-for-5 with two RBI, earned both ribbies on a double to right center scoring Hernandez and Nastasi.
The Bloodhounds then got four runs across the plate in the seventh and eighth innings respectively and had a 12-4 lead after eight innings of play.
But USMMA did not go quietly and got four runs in the bottom of the ninth, but too little to late as John Jay moved to over .500 on the road (3-2).
The Bloodhounds also got a three hit performance out of John Massoni (Staten Island, NY / St. Peter’s Boys) who was 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBI. Catcher Luis Guzman (Yonkers, NY / Mt. St. Michael’s) picked up two hits and went 2-for-4 with two runs.
John Jay ripped 15 hits in the contest, while out hitting the Mariners, 15-10.
Marcos Almonzar (Brooklyn, NY / Telecommunications) picked up the win after starting the game and going five innings, allowing one run (unearned) on two hits and striking out four. Nico Rivera (Brooklyn, NY / Abraham Lincoln), Luis Vega (Brooklyn, NY / Christ the King) and Enmanuel Rodriguez (Manhattan , NY / Manchester) combined for the final four innings and preserved the win.
John Jay returns to action on Sat. Mar. 29 for a doubleheader against Baruch, at Roberto Clemente State Park, starting at 9 a.m.
