Malzahn Slams 3 Homers, 8 RBIs...STAC Splits at Molloy

The Spartan baseball team staked themself to an 8-4 lead heading into the 8th inning behind the solid pitching of Joel Violette and the powerful bat of freshman Vinny Malzahn, but could not hold the lead enroute to a 9-8 loss. Malzahn put the Spartans ahead with a 2-run homer in the 2nd inning and hit another homer in the 4th, a solo shot. John Mazzello hit a 2-run homer in the 5th to give STAC a 5-2 lead. Molloy would cut the lead to 5-4, but Malzahn would strike again, this time with a 3-run triple in the top of the 7th. Violette would yield to the bullpen in the eigth after going seven innings, allowing three earned runs, while striking out eight.  Unfortunately the bullpen would surrender 5 hits, 2 walks, a hit batsman and 5 runs in the 8th and 9th innings, letting game 1 slip away.

Game 2 would be all Chris Skrypack. The senior lefty silenced the potent Molloy offense going the distance for a 5-1 win. Mazzello led off the game with a double. Mike Triana  followed with a 2-run homer and after two batters the Spartans and Skrypack had all the runs they needed. Malzahn continued his hot hitting with a 2-run homer in the 3rd, a towering shot off the softball dugout in centerfield. Mike Triana went 3-for-4 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBIs. Skrypack scattered 6 hits, striking out 3, and allowing a lone run in the 6th.

For the day Malzahn hit 3 homeruns, a triple, and a single, while driving in 8 runs in the 2-game set.