Photo: Camryn Wilson
BUFFALO - Looking to keep battling for the postseason, the Jamestown Community College baseball team split their road series with Erie Community College.
Game 1: Jamestown Community College 6 - Erie Community College 16
Falling in a quick 7-0 whole, the Jayhawks (8-11, 6-6 Region 3 West) found their bats in the fourth inning, making it a 7-4 ball game. Sophomore catcher Billy Harmon (Racine, OH/Southern Local) got JCC on the board with an rbi single, driving in freshman shortstop Ethan Abegg (Commerce City, CO/Prarie View HS). Sophomore left fielder Lucas Porpiglia (Dunkirk, NY/Dunkirk HS) drove in two more runs with a double as Harmon and sophomore right fielder Wyatt Hennessy (Mukwonago, WI/Mukwonago HS) came in to score. Redshirt-freshman Yordangel Gonzalez (Miami, FL/Miami Jackson Senior HS) drove sophomore designated hitter Nick Rini (Powhatan, VA/Knock HS) on a sac fly for the last run of the inning.
THe Kats added five more runs in the fourth to take a 12-6 lead. Looking to answer, Rini had an rbi single with Hennessy scoring. Harmon got the Jayhawks' last run of the game, scoring on an error.
Rini and Hennessy led JCC at the plate, both going 2-for-3.
Sophomore pitcher Chris Calladine (Andover, NY/Andover Centers Look School) earned the loss on the mound, going three innings and giving up seven earned runs. Freshman pitcher Bryan Gardner (Falconer, NY/Falconer HS) came in to go the rest of the way, giving up nine earned runs.
Game 2: Jamestown Community College 7 - Erie Community College 6
The Jayhawks looked to rebound in the second game but came out of the gate slow. ECC got out to a 3-0 lead after two innings.
After scoreless innings in the third and fourth, JCC got on the board as center fiedler Ayden Reagle (Jamestown, NY/Maple Grove HS) hit a sac fly to right field, driving in sophomore third baseman Roberto Aracena (Miami, FL/Citi Christian Academy).
The Jayhawks took the lead in the sixth inning, scoring three runs to go up 4-3. Rini got the scoring started with an rbi single to bring Abegg home. Aracena followed with his own rbi single as Hennessy came across home plate. Freshman left fielder Josh Lupo (Stafford, VA/Brooke Point HS) followed suit, hitting an rbi single that brought Rini in to score.
ECC did not back down, scoring two runs of their own to take the lead, 5-4.
With their last chance at bat, the Jayhawks made the most of it, scoring three runs to take the 7-5 lead. Rini got the go ahead runs with a two-run double to bring home Abegg and sophomore second baseman German Nolasco (Spring Hill, FL/Weeki Wachee HS). Aracena added one more run with an rbi single that brought Rini across the plate.
The Kats battled back in the seventh but could only get one run.
Rini went 2-for-4 at the plate with three rbis with Aracena going 2-for-4 with two rbis.
Harmon got the win on the mound, striking out four batters while giving up five runs in isx innings of action.
Redshirt-freshman Bryce Jackson (Jamestown, NY/Jamestown HS) came in to get the save, striking out two of his four batters faced including the last out of the game.
The Jayhawks will be back in action this Wednesday, April 28th, as they take on Corning Community College. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.
