By Nolan Locke
The Purchase baseball team took on Union College in their home opener on March 1. It was a tough 8-1 loss for the Panthers, but the scoreline doesn’t tell the full story.
Senior Myles Scarry toed the rubber for the Panthers, while senior Chris Suter took the mound for Union.
Scarry got his afternoon started with a popup to center fielder senior Sam Saltzman before a throwing error by sophomore Jared Rosa allowed a runner to reach first. Scarry then walked the next batter and then issued a free pass with a hit by pitch, loading the bases. A subsequent walk surrendered by Scarry drove in the first run. However, Scarry was able to get himself out of the one-out bases-loaded jam with two ground balls.
When asked about Scarry's clutch first inning performance, Coach Adam Taraska said, “He [Scarry] knows the game, he knows how to pitch, so I’m not surprised that he limited the damage in the first inning there.”
From there, Scarry picked up a one two three inning with the help of a web gem by third baseman, junior Luke DiLorenzo.
Scarry then found himself in trouble in the third inning as Union tacked on three more runs on a one run single and a two run homerun. However, Scarry showed fight throughout his struggles, yet again getting two swinging strikeouts. “We know what we're gonna get from Myles, and that's a gutsy effort every time he has the ball,” said Taraska.
Another throwing error, this time by DiLorenzo, cost the Panthers again in the fourth as a double scored two unearned runs for Union. “We didn’t play the defense that we needed to play,” said Taraska when asked about the team's struggles on defense.
Scarry finished his game in the fourth with a final stat line of four innings, four strikeouts, six hits and three earned runs.
When asked about his outing, Scarry said, “Just gotta throw more strikes, it's honestly just bearing down and doing it. I just want to give my team the best opportunity to win. I struggled a bit early but they had my back”.
Another bright spot for the Panthers' pitching staff was sophomore Anthony Ciccone, who threw two perfect innings of relief without letting up any baserunners and grabbing himself a strikeout in the process.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Panthers bats fell quiet as they struggled to find any answers for Union starter Chris Suter, who threw five scoreless innings, with six strikeouts. Suter only issued two hits and did not give up a single walk. “Well, I give credit to the pitcher in game one,” said Taraska. “He did a great job, we couldn't figure him out.”
A big factor to Suter's success was his command of the zone. “He was inside and outside with his fastball he has two big off speed pitches he can throw for strikes in any count,” said Taraska.
However, after Suter exited the game, the Panthers were able to put together a rally, which started with a single to right field by shortstop Tristen Abreu and a walk by designated hitter Panos Sinis. This was then followed up by runs batted in (RBI) single by d3baseball.com All-American first baseman Liam Daly.
Daly was a key part of the Panthers' offense today as he went three for two with an RBI and a stolen base.
However, Purchases' rally ended after a swinging strikeout stranded men on second and third.
The game ended up finishing 8-1, certainly not the outcome that the Panthers were looking for. “When you play against good teams, they make you pay for your mistakes,” said Taraska. “And if you make errors and walk guys and put guys on, then good teams are gonna follow up with guys that can bang the ball in the gap and drive those runs home. I think that's what happened here today.”
Despite the 8-1 loss, there was a feeling of positivity around the ballpark. “We have a young team this year, so it might take them a few weeks to get it together,” said Carmen Ciccone, a fan who attended the game, “but I like what I see.”
The Panthers will look to bounce back on March 4, as they head to Centenary University to face the Cyclones.
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