Photo courtesy Quinnipiac Athletics
By: Sierra Goodwill
Game 1 – Jankins shines for Quinnipiac
Eight strikeouts in nearly eight hitless innings. Thomas Jankins led the way for Quinnipiac’s baseball team in a 2-0 shutout against Iona in Game One of Saturday’s regular season doubleheader.
“I think it (pitching) was the biggest part of the game today,” head coach John Delaney said. “I think Jankins came out and he threw unbelievable.”
In the bottom of the third, Bobcats freshman centerfielder Brian Moskey ripped a double down the third base line to advance Aron Fried, who walked, to third. A Matt Batten base hit scored Fried one batter later.
Jankins cruised all afternoon, not allowing a hit until the eighth. Designated hitter Lou Matarazzo smacked a line drive to left field to lead off the top half of the inning. After surrendering a second hit with one out, Jankins retired the next two batters in order.
“That lifted us big time because we were not playing well.” Batten said. “we were off our game but (Jankins) was just dominant. Iona had no chance against him today, everything was working and he was putting it where he wanted. He really carried us in that first game.”
The Bobcats extended their lead in the bottom of the eighth courtesy of a Rob Pescitelli sacrifice fly scoring Moskey. Robert Hitt closed the door in the ninth to record his fourth save.
Game 2 – Quinnipiac claws back twice, outlasts Iona in 13-inning thriller
While the ultimate outcome was the same, Game Two of the doubleheader between the Bobcats and Gaels told a very different story. After 13 innings, a total of 10 different pitchers and three and a half hours of baseball, Quinnipiac won 4-3.
“Those are the fun games. Those are the ones you want to be a part of,” Batten said. “And it feels much better coming out on top.”
Iona took advantage of three Quinnipiac errors in the top of the third inning to plate two runs. The Gaels did so without recording a hit. Third baseman Joseph Burns, pitcher Taylor Luciani, and second baseman Fried all made overthrows.
But, the visitors were unable to sit comfortably for long.
Quinnipiac, like it has done all year, fought back. The top of the order for the Bobcats proved crucial. Two hits, one by Moskey and one by Pescitelli and two sacrifices, a Batten bunt and Lou Iannotti fly out plated enough to tie the game.
Trailing again, this time in the sixth, Quinnipiac sent Matt Oestreicher to the dish. The designated hitter slapped a ground ball past the diving Iona shortstop to knot the game at three.
Six more innings followed without any runs. Iona mixed in six pitchers, and Quinnipiac used four. The Bobcats bullpen, Delaney said, was the difference.
“Every guy that came in after (Luciani) was throwing strikes and getting outs,” he said. “To have those guys come out of the pen for us and keep guys off the base was huge.”
Not one Quinnipiac relief pitcher allowed the leadoff hitter to reach base.
“I think when you’re in extra inning games that’s got to be the biggest focus,” Delaney said. “If you eliminate that guy from getting on base, you eliminate them with options.”
The bottom of the thirteenth inning finally rolled around as Quinnipiac students began making their way to Toads. Pescitelli reached due to an error by the Iona second baseman. Iannotti, Quinnipiac’s clean up hitter, laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Pescitelli to second. Senior reserve John Bodenhamer then became the hero. His ground ball, hit between the first and second baseman, scored Pescitelli.
With the wins, the Bobcats are now 12-20 overall and 3-5 in the conference as the Gaels fell to 7-24 overall and 2-6 in MAAC play.
The sweep on Saturday prevented Quinnipiac from an uphill battle to reach the MAAC tournament. The junior shortstop knew the gravity of the moment.
“We were up with our backs against the wall, we knew there was no other option than to come out of here with a win or else we were in deep trouble. We just kept fighting.”
“Today is two big wins for the program,” Delaney said. “Especially coming off two MAAC weekends that we struggled with, so to come out there and to have a quality Game One and then a battle like this and come out on top here today in Game Two was pretty big for us.”
Quinnipiac and Iona finish up the series Sunday at noon. The Bobcats are looking to inch closer to a .500 conference record as the Gaels will try and avoid a three game sweep.
