Box Score JERSEY CITY, NJ – The Saint Peter's University baseball team scored 10 runs for the second time this season, but it wasn't enough as the Peacocks dropped the second meeting with in-state foe Fairleigh Dickinson on Tuesday evening, falling to the Knights, 25-10 at Joseph J. Jaroschak Field.
In an offensive explosion, both teams combined for 35 runs and 32 hits in the seven-inning contest, with every inning seeing at least one run from either team.
Leading the offense for the Peacocks was designated hitter Hunter Mason (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one RBI, three runs scored, and two stolen bases. Also having big days at the plate were Jesse Matos (Bayonne, NJ/Marist), who recorded a 3-for-4 day with one RBI and two runs scored, Angel Perez (Jersey City, NJ/Marist HS) who posted a 2-for-3 evening with two RBIs and two runs scored, and James Spadaccini (Butler, NJ/Butler) who also went 2-for-3 with two RBIs to go along with his hits. Paul Schifilliti (Toms River, NJ/Toms River East) also added two RBIs, while Mike Ionta (Westfield, NJ/Westfield) and Nick Ciocco (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill) batted in one run each on the evening.
The Peacocks gave up nine runs in the opening inning, falling behind 9-0. The Knights added one more run in the second to extend their lead over the Peacocks to 10-0.
In the bottom of the second, the Peacocks got on the board when Schifilliti hit a sacrifice fly to center field, allowing Mason to tag up and score from third. Two batters later, Ionta hit an RBI single that pushed Perez across home plate cutting the deficit to 10-2.
After the Knights added four more runs in the top of the third, the Peacocks rallied to score eight runs over the next two innings in the third and fourth innings. Perez got things going for the Peacocks with a two-run RBI single to cut the score to 14-4.
Saint Peter's relief pitcher Steve Epstein (Marlboro, NJ/Marlboro) took over the mound in the top of the fourth and pitched the only shutout inning for the Peacock defense. Following the scoreless top of the fourth, the Peacocks put together their best inning in the bottom of the fourth scoring six runs on four hits. Ionta scored the first run of the rally after Matos hit a single to right field. Ciocco then hit an RBI single that scored Cole Robbins (Toms River, NJ/Toms River East). Mason advanced Matos home with an RBI single next, cutting the deficit to 14-7. Schifilliti hit his second sacrifice fly earning his second RBI when Ciocco scored on a tag up from third. The final two runs came from a Spadaccini's two-run double clearing the bases with Perez and Mason scoring runs nine and 10.
After the rally, the Knights responded with five runs in the fifth, one run in the sixth, and five more runs in the seventh to cap off the win over the Peacocks.
Saint Peter's will be back in action tomorrow at Jaroschak Field, taking on Lehigh for the second time this season. The contest starts at 3:30pm.
