Lakers Earn Split in Final Games of Spring Break Trip

By Jimmy Habecker

CUMBERLAND, MD. – The Finger Lakes CC baseball squad earned a split against Division 2 Allegany College of Maryland on Friday on the road. The Lakers dropped the first game 5-4, but bounced back in game two by notching a 6-2 victory. Finger Lakes finished its annual spring break trip to Maryland with a 2-8 record.

The Lakers got off to an early lead in the opener when Aaron Freida reached base on an error. He would steal second and advance to third on a passed ball before scoring on a Kenny Urbanik sacrifice fly for an early 1-0 lead. Allegany would answer in the second inning, where they turned two leadoff hits into two runs against Lakers starter Kevin Close.

Close went the distance for Finger Lakes, striking out three while not allowing a single walk. Finger Lakes would get a run back in the fourth when Dylan Catlin and Kyle Consolie started the inning off with singles. Danny D'Eletto would walk to load the bases and Zach Kosachook would score Catlin on a groundout.

Down 5-2, the Lakers had a rally and their best opportunity to tie the game in the fifth. Matt Horne would lead off the inning with a single to left field. He proceeded to steal second before Freida worked a walk. Troy Loparco would double to deep left center field, but Horne would be cut out at the plate. The runners were not stranded however as Catlin brought both of them in on a single. He would find himself on second base as the tying run, but would be left stranded there. Catlin finished the game going 2-2 with a walk, pair of RBIs and a stolen base.

Finger Lakes would fall behind early in game two. The Spartans turned two hits into a run in the first inning for the early 1-0 lead. However, Lakers starting pitcher Stephen Lewis would allow just one hit over his next three innings. The run did not phase the Lakers as they bounced back with four runs of their own in the top of the second.

Nicholas Petrantoni would lead off the second with a single up the middle. It was the start of a perfect 2-2 day for the freshman. He would move to third on a single by Corey Galletta. Freida would then walk to load the bases and Branden Rhodes would turn around a high fastball for a double down the left field line. The hit would bring home Petrantoni and Galletta. Freida would score during the next at-bat on a passed ball. Joey Simmons would single to score Rhodes and give the Lakers the lead, 4-1.

Finger Lakes would extend its lead in the fifth. Simmons led the inning off by being hit by a pitch. He would then steal second and move to third on a single by Catlin. Simmons would score on a groundout by Consolie and Petrantoni would drive in Catlin. That was all the scoring the Lakers needed as Brandon Anderson would pitch the final three innings with four strikeouts to earn his first career save.

With Saturday's games being cancelled at Westmoreland County CC, the Lakers will now travel back home and will have a few days off before returning to the field on Thursday, Mar. 28. On that day, they will visit the Tribunes of Monroe CC for an afternoon set of games. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 2:00 pm.