Box Score Box Score
Port Charlotte, Fla.— Joseph Willoughby (New York, NY, St. Agnes) went 4-for-5 with a run and a huge RBI delivering the game-winning blow in the bottom of the tenth, scoring Wilmer Chavez (Corona, NY, Queens Vocational) from second base, as the John Jay baseball team closed out their 2010 Florida trip with a 5-4 10 inning win over Bluffton University at the Snowbird Classic. Meanwhile, freshman pitcher Chris Camacho (Maspeth, NY, HS of Applied Communications) pitched 10 solid innings and picked up his first NCAA Collegiate win.
With the win, the Bloodhounds improve to 1-6 overall as they return north to play the remainder of their 2010 regular season.
“Each year we come down here and take our lumps early. It's the first time we really practice outdoors so it takes a while to work out some of the kinks,” said head coach Dan Palumbo. “But the team definitely made some great progress down here, it was very productive and we are much better prepared for the remainder of our schedule.”
Bluffton took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning before John Jay rallied back to knot the score at 1-1. Freshman shortstop Dennis Lopez (Selden, NY, Newfield) was hit by the pitch with the bases loaded to force home Chavez, who scored three times in the game.
The Beavers tacked on one run in each the third and sixth innings to go up 3-1 after 5 1/2 innings.
But John Jay got a break in the bottom of the sixth when Steven Kendrick (Bronx, NY, Sacred Heart) struck out swinging but advanced to first on a wild pitch and eventually landed on second after the throw to first by the catcher sailed over the head of the first baseman, allowing Chavez and Willoughby to score in the process and tie the game.
The Bloodhounds took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the seventh as Edwin Hernandez (Brooklyn, NY, Murry Bergtraum) scored from third on a fielder's choice grounder by Benjamin Beiro (Bronx, NY, Wesley Chapel).
But Bluffton tied the score in the top of the eighth on an unearned run, eventually leading into the extra frame.
The Beavers had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the top of the tenth, when the leadoff batter ripped a triple to right-center. But with the infield playing in, the following two batters hit grounders to third that Beiro picked up both while keeping the runner put at third and suddenly there were two outs. The next batter innocently grounded out to short as the Bloodhounds worked out of the jam.
Chavez led off the tenth with a single up the middle before Luis Guzman (Yonkers, NY, Mt. St. Michael's) sacrificed him over to second. He then motored home on Willoughby's hit to secure the win.
Bluffton was limited to six hits by Camacho who allowed three earned runs and struck out three batters.
“It was great to get the win. I have been trying to get my first win each time out. I was ready today and I was not coming out for anything,” said Camacho. “I told coach I wanted the start and I zoned myself into the game the night before and gave it my all.”
John Jay is back in action on Tue. Mar. 9 at SUNY Maritime at 6:30 p.m.
