Flemington, NJ - The John Jay baseball team split their CUNYAC contest with the CCNY Beavers on Friday, falling in game one by a 12-6 count before rallying in the second game to a 9-3 victory.

The Bloodhounds move to 15-17 overall and 8-2 in the league, while the Beavers move to 9-12 overall and 6-4 in the league. These two teams will square off in the regular season finale on Saturday, May 3 at Jim Hynes '63 Baseball Stadium on the campus of Kean University. 

Tomorrow's contest will decide the 2025 CUNYAC regular-season champion and seeding for the upcoming conference tournament. Saturday will also be Senior Day as the Bloodhounds will recognize their eight seniors in a pregame ceremony.

Game 1 | John Jay 6, CCNY 12
The Bloodhounds found themselves trailing by four before staging a five-run second inning. CCNY tied the game in the bottom of the second and scored at least one run in the next four innings, highlighted by a three-run fifth in a 12-6 victory.

Sean Jost suffered his first season loss, giving up eight runs on 12 hits while walking two and striking out one.

Ethan Simaan went 2 for 2 at the plate, which included a solo home run and scoring two runs. Lucas Perez went 1 for 4, connecting on his first career home-run, a grand slam in the second.

All nine Beavers had a hit, and six players had multi-hit performances led by Kevin Budzinski, who went 4 for 5 with two runs scored and two RBIs.

Rich Cirigliano went 3 for 4 with four RBIs, while Demetri Zirogiannis recorded three hits and scored three runs with two RBIs. Jake Brenner also had three hits and two RBIs. Eric Rank earned the complete game win for CCNY.

CCNY got on the board first as Brenner sent a single to left that scored Zirogiannis from second to take a 1-0 lead. A walk to Colin Souther gave the Beavers two runners on for Cirigliano, who uncorked a three-run home run to give the Beavers a 4-0 advantage.

The Bloodhounds answered back. Simaan and Hayden Tackett each drew walks before Anthony Agosta was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Perez. Perez stepped and connected on his first career round-tripper, a grand slam to left field as John Jay tied the game at 4-4. 

With one out, Ryan Cherichella was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a successful steal. Following a strikeout by Mark Piri, Santo Anzalone continued his hot approach at the dish, doubling to right field, bringing in Cherichella as John Jay took a 5-4 lead.

CCNY evened the score at 5-5 in the bottom half of the inning as Zirogiannis singled to left, bringing in Mike Savino, who walked and moved to third on a Budzinski double. The Beavers scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the third. Brenner led off with a single before moving to second on a ground out by Souther. 

Cirigliano continued to power the offense, singling up the middle as Brenner gave the lead back to CCNY. The Beavers tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to take an 8-5 lead as Michael Chasanov singled to center field that scored Budzinski, and a batter later, Souther singled to right, plating home Zirogiannis. 

The Beavers added three runs on five hits in the bottom of the fifth. Savino led off with a triple to center and came into score on the Budzinski infield single to short, making it 9-5.

Zirogiannis added an RBI single that scored Budzinski as the Beavers doubled the lead to 10-5. Brenner plated the final run of the frame, a base hit up the middle to make it 11-5. CCNY plated home a run in the bottom of the sixth as John Jay went to the bullpen. Budzinski singled to center and scored Roser, upping the lead to 12-5.

John Jay had fight left. With one out in the top of the seventh, Simaan connected on a solo home run to left, making it 12-6. Agosta sent a two-out single through the left side but was stranded at first as Perez flew out to end the game. 

Game 2 | John Jay 9, CCNY 3
CCNY started the game off similarly to game one, scoring the game's first run, but was quickly answered by the Bloodhounds, who put up four runs in the top of the second.

The Beavers got to within 5-3 after four innings, but John Jay closed the game with four runs in the top of the seventh as the Bloodhounds secured a 9-3 win to earn the split of Friday's twinbill.

Danny Opramolla earned his first collegiate win, going the distance as he allowed just three runs on five hits without walking a batter in seven innings of work.

Piri, Agosta, and James Hordodyski each had two hits, with Piri, Anzalone, and Sebastian Sanchez driving in two RBIs each.

The Bloodhounds top four hitters - Cherichella, Piri, Anzalone, and Sanchez - combined to go 5 for 12 with 7 RBIs. The bottom of the order - Agosta, Alvy Grullon, and Hordodyski - went 5 for 11 with an RBI and a run scored.

Cirigliano led the way for CCNY, going 2 for 3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Budzinski, Souther, and Savino added a hit, with Souther driving the other RBI for the Beavers.

Samuel Puttock took the loss after going six innings, allowing eight runs (six earned) on nine hits while walking two and striking out four.

The Beavers got on the board as Souther produced a two-out double to centerfield that plated home Budzinski, who was hit by a pitch to start the game for CCNY.

The Bloodhounds wasted little time in responding. Tackett led off with a walk before moving to second on a wild pitch. Grullon lofted a sacrifice fly to center field that plated Tackett, tying the game at 1-1. Momentum started to shift the Bloodhounds' way as Hordodyski reached second on a ground-rule double and promptly stole third. 

Cherichella was hit by a pitch to give John Jay runners on the corner for Piri, who singled to center field, scoring Hordodyski. Anzalone was hit with an errant pitch before Sanchez reached on an error by the CCNY shortstop as Piri and Cherichella scored, giving the Bloodhounds a 4-1 lead. 

CCNY cut the deficit in half as Cirigliano led off the second with a solo home run to left.

Following a scoreless third inning, the Bloodhounds added a run as Anzalone sent a deep fly to right, scoring Cherichella, who led off the stanza with a walk as John Jay led 5-2. The long ball was in play for the Beavers as Cirigliano connected on a solo shot to right field, trimming John Jay's lead down to 5-3. 

The Beavers got runners on first and third with two outs but Zirogiannis ground to short as Budzinski was forced out on the play.

The Bloodhounds held the two-run until the top of the seventh when the long ball benefited John Jay.
Anzalone led off with a home run to left field, pushing the lead to 6-3. The next batter, Sanchez, followed suit as the Bloodhounds went back-to-back, leading 7-3.

Isaac Salazar was hit by a pitch as Daly came in for Puttock. Tackett walked to give John Jay two runners on. Grullon sent a one-out single to right field as the bases were loaded. With two outs, Cherichella walked, which made it 8-3 before Piri also drew the free pass, extending the lead to 9-3.

Opramolla got Savino and Budzinski to fly out to the outfield before ending the game with a strikeout of Zirogiannis.