Kissimmee, FL – The D'Youville baseball team opened their season on Friday morning, falling in a pair of games to the Becker Hawks 10-7 in game one and 11-3 in game two.
Becker started off the top of the first with a pair of runs as the Spartans were down early. In the bottom of the inning, the Spartans loaded the bases with one out. Connor Truitt (Rochester, NY/Early College) grounded out to the shortstop and was able to score Dylan Haak (Depew, NY/Depew) from third to make the score 2-1.
The third inning began with the Hawks adding three runs to their lead to 5-1. Haak led off the inning with a single through the left side. Justin Varney (Henrietta, NY/Rush-Henrietta) would then walk, followed by a Renato Quinones (Lockport, NY/Saint Joe's) single to load the bases with no outs. Alex Liem (Dorchester, Ont./Dorchester Secondary) would then walk to draw in a run. Truitt then collected his second RBI of the game for the second run of the inning, making the game 5-3.
After a run from Becker in the top of fourth, D'Youville came back to tie the game. Shane Critelli (Camden, NY/Camden) led off with a double, followed by a Devon Kelly (Rochester, NY/Olympia) singled with a Haak walk that followed to load the bases. Varney would then singled up the middle to drive in Critelli. Quinones would then score Kelly after grounding into a double play followed by Haak scoring on a passed ball as the Spartans would tie the game 6-6 through four.
Two runs would be scored in each of the sixth and seventh innings by the Hawks to increase their lead to 10-6. The bases were again loaded in the bottom of the seventh with no outs as Varney would score on a fielder's choice to make the score 10-7 in favor of Becker. D'Youville was unable to climb back as they fell in game one 10-7.
Truitt led the team with two RBI while Haak had a team high three runs scored. Varney scored two runs while five players collected one hit each. Liem led the team with three walks as the team collected nine total.
On the mound, Adam Lampman (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca West) pitched 6.0 innings, allowing seven earned runs and struck out two. Haak came in for one inning of relief, allowing two earned runs and two hits.
Becker scored four runs in the first three innings to jump out to a 4-0 lead. Liem led off the fourth with a walk, followed by a Truitt single. With two outs, Khaled Numan-Ali (Cheektowaga, NY/Cheektowaga) reached on an error as Liem scored to make it a 4-1 game. In the bottom of the fourth, the Hawks added four runs and increased their lead to 8-1.
Both Haak and Quinones reached in the top of the fifth and were driven in Liem with one out to make the score 8-3. Becker would add three runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth as they went on to win the game 11-3.
Varney led the team with two hits as four other players recorded one hit. Bryce Little (Arcade, NY/Pioneer) got the start, pitching 4.0 innings. Nick Jank (Orchard Park, NY/Canisius) and Liem each pitched an inning.
D'Youville will next play Mt. St. Joseph tomorrow, March 16 for their second doubleheader beginning at 9:45am.