Clippers take another two from USP
The Clippers faced off against the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia in a non-conference double header on Sunday.
For the first game it was Keith Malanga who held the ball for the Clippers. Through five straight innings Malanga allowed just one hit. On the other side of the ball the Clippers struggled to get hits through the first five innings but the bats would soon wake up and start hitting.
Luis Gonzalez was walked to start the sixth inning off for the Clippers. Anthony Carnacchio started the hitting spree with a single. Matthew Cintorino continued with a single to load the bases. Donnie Roth followed next with a single of his own to score Gonzalez and Carnacchio and gave the Clippers a 2-0 lead with one out. Difre Reyes knocked a single to load the bases up once more. Billy O’Connell singled to score Cintorino and kept the bases loaded. With a sacrifice fly to left field by Greg Conway, Roth scored and the Clippers were up 4-0 at the end of the sixth.
The seventh inning saw two more runs scored for the Clippers as Vincent Ferraro and Anthony Carnacchio were both walked. Matthew Cintorino was hit by a pitch to load the bases for the third time in the game. Another sacrifice fly, this time to right field by Donnie Roth scored Ferraro. Another single by Difre Reyes and Carnacchio was in at home.
The Clippers defeated the Devils 6-0 as Keith Malanga went a complete game, 3 hit shutout, with 7 strike outs.
Game two the Clippers continued to strike as Donnie Roth hit a two out single in the first inning. TJ Walsh followed Roth with an RBI double. Billy O’Connell was walked and the Clippers had two men on base. Difre Reyes knocked an RBI single to score Walsh. Luis Gonzalez followed suit with an RBI single of his own to score O’Connell. The Clippers were up 3-0 after the top of the first.
The mound saw the return of Tommy Paradise to start the second game for the Clippers. The Devils scored one run off of Paradise in the first inning to cut the Clipper lead slightly.
The Devils put the Clippers catcher Christopher Motta on base after hitting him with a pitch. Motta tried to steal second and was safe due to an error by the Devils pitcher. David Perlleshi knocked a single to move Motta up to third. With a fly ball to right field by Donnie Roth, Motta scored. A single from TJ Walsh scored Perlleshi and the Clippers held a 5-1 lead.
The Clippers switched pitchers for the second inning to freshman Anthony Pisano. Pisano pitched five full innings for the Clippers in the game a allowing four runs with six strike outs.
With the Devils scoring three runs in the bottom of the third to
move within one run of the Clippers there was work to be done to
ensure a win. The top of the fourth inning started as Donnie
Roth was walked aboard with one out. After a stolen base by
Roth, TJ Walsh reached first on an error by the Devils third
baseman. A Billy O’Connell singles loaded the bases for
Difre Reyes. Reyes knocked a single to score Roth. The
Devils then walked Luis Gonzalez for the second time that game to
score Walsh. After a John Pliego single, O’Connell
scored and the Clippers still loaded the bases. With two
outs, Anthony Carnacchio was at the plate. Trying to get out
the way, Carnacchio was hit by a pitch and another Clippers run
crossed the plate.
Three innings later in the top of the seventh the Clippers scored two more runs after TJ Walsh hit a one out double to get on base. Billy O’Connell was walked to put the second Clipper on bases. A double from Difre Reyes scores Walsh and the Clippers continued to have runners in scoring position. Luis Gonzalez grounded out to score O’Connell and the Clippers took the game 11-5.
Pisano picks up his fourth win of the season. Difre Reyes went 4 for 9 with 1 run scored and 4 RBI’s for the day. Donnie Roth hit 3 for 5 on the day with 3 runs scored and 4 RBI’s. TJ Walsh hit 3 for 4 with 3 runs scored and 2 RBI’s.
The Clippers will next face off at Southern Connecticut State University on Monday, March 22nd at 3:00pm.
