Quinnipiac baseball splits doubleheader with Canisius
HAMDEN, Conn. (BVM) 鈥� After 19 games on the road to start the season, Quinnipiac returned home to split a doubleheader with MAAC conference rival Canisius in a long and windy Saturday matchup.
On April 1, a rainout forced the two teams into a doubleheader on April 2. Neither team had played since聽 March 20, as Quinnipiac鈥檚 previously scheduled game on March 29 at Rhode Island and Canisius鈥� previously scheduled game at Binghamton were each postponed due to unplayable temperatures.
The six-day break seemed to negatively affect both teams through a sloppy first game filled with errors and balks. However, strong pitching led the Bobcats (6-15, 1-1 MAAC) to a 5-2 win in game one. They couldn鈥檛 replicate it in game two, though, as Canisius (10-13, 2-3 MAAC) dominated in their 15-9 victory.聽
In game one, Brandyn Garcia pitched six innings for Quinnipiac and allowed three hits and two runs (one earned). Anthony Ambrosino closed it out with three shutout innings, allowing just one hit.
After Quinnipiac allowed just two runs in game one, the first pitch of game two was drilled over the right-field wall by Canisius鈥檚 Mike DeStefano, who extended his on-base streak to 23 games. That set the game’s tone as Canisius went up 5-0 by the fourth inning and 13-3 two innings later. Quinnipiac made it interesting in the bottom of the ninth when they scored four runs with one out to make it 15-9. However, two of the next three batters were retired to end the rally and the game.
In the second game, Kevin Seitter allow five runs in four innings. Carter Poiry relieved him and allowed four runs without recording an out before being replaced by Chris Mazza, who allowed four runs in three innings. Andrew Cubberly finished the game for Quinnipiac, giving up two unearned runs. In total for game two, the Bobcats surrendered 15 runs and 22 hits.
Following the second game, which lasted just over four hours, Quinnipiac head coach, John Delaney, was visibly incensed in the team鈥檚 post-game huddle.
Quinnipiac鈥檚 Keegan O’Connor played catcher in game two and had two past balls, one of which resulted in a run. Quinnipiac starting pitcher, Kevin Seitter, threw three wild pitches, one resulting in a run. Each instance seemed to give the Canisius bench more electricity in their dugout chants which had been noticeable loud since the opening home run.
A few other mistakes hurt Quinnipiac during the second game. Leadoff hitter Kyle Maves popped up a drag bunt to start the Bobcat鈥檚 offense in the bottom of the first. Quinnipiac didn鈥檛 get their first hit until the fourth inning. In the sixth inning, losing 13-3, freshman designated hitter Zak Thomas was thrown out trying to return to first base to end the sixth after he got caught making an ill-advised turn towards second on a shallow right field RBI single.
Quinnipiac鈥檚 hitting took a bit to get going in game two but performed well overall. Graduate Student Ian Ostberg continued his hot start, getting a hit in all six games he鈥檚 started after doubling in both games. Sam LaChance replaced Ostberg late in the game and hit a solo home run and drew a bases-loaded walk.
Through coach Delaney鈥檚 tenure at Quinnipiac (since 2015), the Bobcats are 56-38 at home compared to 70-131 on the road. They started 2022 5-14 on the road, but they start 1-1 at home.
After finishing their three-game series against Canisius on Sunday, Quinnipiac goes back on the road to face Boston College on April 6. They are scheduled to play a total of 16 home games this season.
