(Riverdale, NY) – Junior
Joe Utschig (Pleasantville, NY/Westlake HS) had another monster weekend, and the Mount Saint Vincent pitching staff combined to allow only 19 total runs in four games as the Mount Saint Vincent Baseball team finished 2-2 during a weekend of Skyline Conference play as the Dolphins downed Mount Saint Mary twice on Saturday before being swept by Stevens on Sunday. With the weekend split, the Mount is now 10-12 overall, including a 2-6 mark in Skyline Conference play.
Utschig, who hit .550 for the last week, went 5 for 14 at the plate during the weekend with seven stolen bases and an RBI, including a 4 for 7 effort during two games at Mount Saint Mary with six stolen bases. Mount Saint Vincent swept the Saturday twin-bill, 7-4 and 3-1. The latter game featured an incredible pitching performance by junior Joe Orgovan (Norwalk, CT/Rockland CC). Orgovan pitched a complete game, allowing one run on five hits, while striking out four. Orgovan was helped by a Mount Saint Vincent defense that committed only two errors, and the Mount scored runs in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings to secure the win. The opener had all of the makings of a laugher early as Mount Saint Mary committed seven errors that led to three Dolphin unearned runs, and the Mount opened up an early 5-0 lead. The Blue Knights battled back with four runs in the bottom of the third inning, but an outstanding effort on the mound by sophomore pitcher Jon O'Leary (Bohemia, NY/Connetquot) denied Mount Saint Mary any opportunity to make the game closer.
With the exception of the third inning when the Blue Knights scored all of their runs, O'Leary was terrific, striking out seven while walking only three batters. Also for the Mount, Utschig and Nick Canzano (Farmington, NY/Victor Central HS) combined for four hits and three runs scored.
The sweep on Saturday set the stage for a showdown between the Dolphins and Stevens, the nation's 14th ranked team. After a 10-2 blowout loss at the hands of the Ducks to open play on Sunday, the Dolphins gave Stevens all they could handle during the night-cap, falling to Stevens 4-3 in eight innings. Sophomore pitcher Ryan Strub (Bohemia, NY/Connetquot HS) had an outstanding day on the mound as he pitched a complete game while striking out five and walking only two Duck hitters. Also for the Mount, sophomore Al Schor (Norwalk, CT/Brien McMahon HS) went 3 for 4 with an RBI while Utschig and Josh Cuozzo (Westbury, NY/Clarke HS) had two hits apiece.
After the teams were deadlocked at two after seven innings, the game went to extra innings and Stevens scored twice in the top of the eighth to take a 4-2 lead. Mount Saint Vincent rallied to try to tie the score in the bottom of the inning as freshman Nick Triolo (Homer, NY/Homer Central HS) drove in Zach Munroe (Milford, CT/Foran HS) on a ground out. With Triolo, the tying run on second base and two outs, Cuozzo singled, but Triolo was thrown out trying to score and the rally and game ended.
Mount Saint Vincent continued to show signs of tremendous improvement this weekend, and will look to continue the improvement on Thursday, April 6 when they play Western Connecticut State University at 4:00 p.m.
