Kinsella Hits First Career Home Run In Second Contest

CHESTERTOWN, Md. – Host Washington College and visiting Albertus Magnus split a non-conference baseball doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Athey Baseball Park.  The Falcons took game one by a 6-1 score, while the Shoremen bounced back to take game two, 7-3. 

In game two, Albertus Magnus (3-6) got on the board in the top of the first inning when Zak Sokolis scored on a two-out single to right field by Anthony Pellegrino.  Washington College (6-5) responded with two runs of its own in the bottom of the second inning when senior Pat Kinsella (Guilford, Conn./Guilford) launched his first career home run over the right field fence, a two-run shot, to give the Shoremen a 2-1 lead with two outs.  Scoring ahead of Kinsella was junior Brian Alexa (Silver Spring, Md./Good Counsel). 

The Shoremen took advantage of three errors by the Falcons in the last of the third to take a 5-1 lead.  Sophomore Bryan Baquer (Woodbridge, Va./Good Counsel) scored on a throwing error after he stole third base to make it 3-1 with nobody out.  With two outs, senior Dennis Thomas (Baltimore, Md./Archbishop Curley) came home on a fielding error by Albertus Magnus to give WC a three-run lead and Alexa singled to center to score freshman Michael Acampora (North Haven, Conn./North Haven) to cap the three-run frame.

Albertus Magnus got one run back in the top of the fifth when Pellegrino singled through the right side with two away to score Tyler Robertson to trim the lead to 5-2.

Washington took advantage of a two-out error by Albertus Magnus in the bottom of the sixth to push the lead to 7-2.  Baquer singled down the right field line with two away to plate both Kinsella and junior Scott Matthews (Goshen, N.Y./Don Bosco Prep (N.J.) to push the Shoremen's lead to five runs.

The Falcons would not go down quietly in the seventh as the cut the lead to 7-3 with two outs when Jordan Kubilus singled through the left side to score Kris Daur-Schierholz on an unearned run.  Albertus Magnus had the bases loaded with Sage Leonard representing the tying run, but WC junior pitcher Joe DiPaola (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck) got Leonard to fly out to right field for the game's final out.

Baquer went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI for Washington, while Kinsella had two RBI and two runs scored as WC pounded out eight hits.  On the mound, sophomore Sam McGovern (Middletown, N.J./Red Bank Catholic) got the victory to improve to 2-1.  He went six innings, giving up just two runs, one earned, on six hits with three strikeouts before giving way to DiPaola for the seventh.

Robertson went 3-for-3 with a run scored, while Pellegrino went 2-for-4 with two RBI as the Falcons had eight hits.  On the mound, Brian Levchuk took the loss despite pitching a complete game for the guests.  He allowed eight hits, walking two and striking out four while giving up just a pair of earned runs.  He falls to 0-2 on the year.

In game one, the Falcons got two runs in the top of the first inning when Pellegrino doubled to right with two away to chase home Robertson for the game's opening run.  Pellegrino came home on a Kubilus single to left to make it 2-0.

Washington got on the board in the bottom of the first when Matthews scored on an RBI groundout off the bat of Baquer to trim the lead to 2-1.

The Falcons made it 4-1 with two in the top of the fourth.  Justin Poirier with one out hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Kubilus to give Albertus Magnus a two-run lead.  Mike Saia made it 4-1 when he drove home Jack Pritchard on a single to left.

The Falcons scored one run each in the top of the fifth and seventh to provide the final margin.

Mike Barillaro tossed a complete game victory on the hill for the Falcons to improve to 2-0 on the season as he allowed only three hits and one earned run, walking one and striking out six.  At the plate, Kubilus had two hits, while Pellegrino had two RBI as the Falcons got seven hits.

Sophomore pitcher Dan Jarrell (Alexandria, Va./West Potomac) took the loss and falls to 1-2.  He went just four innings, giving up five runs, three earned.  He walked and struck out one each. 

Washington is scheduled to be back in action on Tuesday with a 3:30 p.m. road game at Stevenson.