OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. (Apr. 24, 2011) – NYIT’s hit parade led to a doubleheader victory as the Bears took the series from the Fighting Sioux of North Dakota 3-1. NYIT earned a 14-4 win in game one and rallied from behind to defeat UND 10-6 in game two.

 

With the wins, NYIT improved to 10-19 on the season and 5-3 in Great West Conference play. Junior Ryan Campbell (Bellmore, N.Y.) went 6-for-9 on the day with a run and two RBI, while freshman Rob Cafiero (Bethpage, N.Y.) batted .625 (5-for-8) with five runs and five RBI. Sophomore Ali Rodriguez (Yorktown, Va.) hit a .600 clip with five runs and seven RBI and senior Effrey Valdez (Flushing, N.Y.) went 3-for-6 with two runs and an RBI.

 

On the mound, the wins went to John Duggan (Belle Harbor, N.Y.) and Marcos Perez (Bronx, N.Y.). Duggan tossed 6.2 innings in game one, surrendering four runs on eight hits and striking out four. Perez picked up the win in game two with 7.0 innings of work, giving up six runs on 10 hits and striking out eight. Both Ryan Dillabough (Whitby, Ontario, Canada) and J.C. Costa (Flushing, N.Y.) registered their third saves of the season.

 

For the series, Valdez batted .769 going 10-for-13 with five runs, three of where were homers and three RBIs. He was walked four times, hit by a pitch twice and struck out just once. Rodriguez went 9-for-18 with seven runs, two of which were homers, and eight RBIs.

 

GAME 1: NYIT 14, UND 4
North Dakota leaped to a 3-0 lead after the third inning, but NYIT responded with a four-run bottom of the fourth to gain control of the scoreboard for good.

 

With two outs on the board, second baseman Steve McNamara (Levittown, N.Y.) reached on a UND error. He then advanced to third on a single by catcher George Carroll (Bayside, N.Y.). Cafiero then tallied his first RBI of the day with a single up the middle. Runners then stole second and third and then were plated with a single up the middle from Rodriguez. The final run of the inning was scored as Campbell had a base hit to right field. Both he and Valdez, who got on as he was hit by a pitch, were left stranded as centerfielder Jerry Smith (Nesconset, N.Y.) flied out to centerfield. NYIT led 4-3.

 

The Bears then added an insurance run in the sixth as Cafiero scored his second run of the game on a Smith single to right field.  Although Cafiero’s run would prove to be the game-winner, NYIT’s 5-3 lead did not last long as it became a one-run game once again in the seventh with a single up the middle from North Dakota’s Dan Ross, who plated Ryan Gerber.

 

However, the game was decided in the eight as NYIT put up 9 runs on four hits and two errors. In Rodriguez’s second at-bat of the inning, he homered to centerfield for his third of the season. The game was called after the eighth on the 10-run rule as NYIT was victorious 14-4.

 

GAME 2: NYIT 10, UND 6
The Fighting Sioux bats came alive in the first three innings of the second game as North Dakota claimed a 5-0 advantage. Andy Sadler scored in both the first and second, as did Gerber. In the third, Craig Dolmage homered to left field for his second of the season.

 

NYIT ended the shutout in the fourth with a leadoff homerun from Valdez, his seventh of the year. But North Dakota responded with another run to earn a 6-1 edge in the top of the fifth. But the Bears were not about to give up just yet and retaliated with nine runs on 11 hits and two errors in the bottom half.

 

Cafiero opened the rally with his first career homer, a blast over the left field fence. Rodriguez and Campbell both singled to get out but Campbell would get called out in a double play hit from Valdez. With Rodriguez advancing to third, Smith had an infield hit to bring home the designated hitter. After Smith stole second, sophomore Dan Lackner (New Hyde Park, N.Y.) went yard for the second time this season. He plated Smith with the hit.

 

With two outs on the board, Eric Cos (Coral Gables, Fla.) reached on an error by the Sioux’s third baseman and scored as McNamara singled to right field. The next two runs, McNamara and Sebastian Grazziani (Whitestone, N.Y.) were plated on a top of the order double from Cafiero. After a pitching change, Rodriguez singles up the middle to score Cafiero and Rodriguez was brought home for the ninth run on a Campbell base hit.

 

NYIT’s defense and pitching, that included a 1-2-3 from Jose Checo (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) and a game-ending strikeout from Costa, allowed NYIT to hold on to the 10-6 triumph.

 

ON DECK
The Bears return to action on Tuesday, Apr. 26 when they host the Jaspers of Manhattan College. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at President’s Field.