Box Score BUFFALO, N.Y. – Canisius scored a run in the eighth to come away with a 9-8 victory against Saint Peter's in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) baseball action on Saturday.
Chris Hugg (Ironia, N.J./Randolph) paced the Peacocks (4-15, 0-3 MAAC) with two hits and three RBIs. Jon Kristoffersen (Jefferson, N.J./Jefferson Township) added two hits, two RBIs and a run scored while Rob Moore (Ridge, N.Y./Longwood) registered three hits including a solo home run and two runs scored in loss.
After Saint Peter's scored four times in the eighth to tie the game, the Golden Griffins (14-7, 3-0 MAAC) retook the lead at 9-8 on a Ronnie Bernick sacrifice fly to right.
The Peacocks loaded the bases in the ninth, but could not tie the game. Vinny Maietta (Franklin Square, N.Y./St. Mary's) led off the inning with a single up the middle and Sean Henry (Brick, N.J./Brick Township) pinch ran for Maietta. After a pop out and a strikeout, Kristoffersen singled through the left side and Kyle Grimes (Iselin, N.Y./John F. Kennedy Memorial) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Canisius got out of the jam with a fly out to right field.
Ryan Coppinger paced the Golden Griffins with two hits, two runs scored and two RBIs while Anthony Massicci posted two hits and two runs scored in the winning effort.
The game was a seesaw battle back and forth until Canisius scored a run in the bottom of the eighth and kept Saint Peter's off the scoreboard in the ninth to earn the win and complete the three-game sweep in the opening weekend for league play.
The Golden Griffins got on the scoreboard with two runs in the third to take a 2-0 lead. Coppinger opened the inning with a homer to right center before Christopher Conley hit a sacrifice fly.
The Peacocks answered with three runs in the to grab a one-run advantage. Nick Cardamone (Freehold, N.J./Freehold Township) reached on an infield single and came around to score when Grimes reached on error. After Moore reached on an infield single, Hugg doubled home Grimes and Moore to left center for a 3-2 edge.
Canisius tied the game at 3 on Connor Panas sacrifice fly to right in the sixth.
Moore momentarily reclaimed the lead for Saint Peter's with a solo homer to right center in the top of the seventh.
The Golden Griffins responded in the bottom half of the inning with five runs to grab an 8-4 margin. Jesse Kelso scored the first run of the inning on an error before Coppinger plated a run on an infield single. The Golden Griffins added two more runs off a third Saint Peter's error in the inning to take the four-run lead.
The Peacocks came right back with four runs in the eighth to even the score at 8. After Nick Henriquez (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) started the rally with a single through the left side and Maietta single to center, Cardamone plated Henriquez with a sacrifice fly to right. Ramirez single to center before Kristoffersen hit a two-run double to right center to plate Maietta and Ramirez. Grimes was hit with a pitch and Moore singled up the middle to load the bases. Hugg tied the game when he was hit with a pitch to force home Kristoffersen with one out. Canisius got out of the bases loaded one out jam with a strikeout and a fielder's choice. The Golden Griffins then scored a run in the bottom of the eighth to secure the win.
Maietta added three hits and a run scored for Saint Peter's while AJ Celentano (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) took the loss.
The Peacocks return to action on Tuesday at NJIT. First pitch is 3:30 p.m.
