Box Score

Purchase, NY (Apr. 10, 2014) – The Purchase baseball team dropped their final game of the 2014 season to FDU-Florham, 5-3, in the semifinal game of the ECAC Metro/Upstate Tournament.

In the top first inning, Leandro Francisco (SR/Bedford Hills, NY) singled to third for the first hit of the game for the visiting Panthers.  He reached second off a line drive to center field by Elan Trischitta (JR/Saugerties, NY). With runners at first and second and two outs, catcher John Jonas (SR/Goshen, NY) flew out to left-center to end the inning.

In the bottom half of the inning, Frankie Tassielli singled to the pitcher and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Kevin Sinclair grounded out to third and later Tassielli was caught stealing to earn the second out of the inning.  Panther starting pitcher Frank Fantino (JR/Nanuet, NY) walked the next two batters, putting runners at first and second, before striking out the Devils' designated hitter Ben Lyman.

The Panthers earned their first run in the top of the second off an Aryn Giddens (SR/Queens, NY) liner to center, which brought teammate Teofilo Ramirez (SO/Queens, NY) in to score. Giddens then stole second and reached third off a single to shortstop by second basemen and Skyline Player of the Year Michael Sarni (SR/Shelton, CT). Sarni went on to steal second before Michael Skoller (SR/East Meadow, NY) struckout swinging to end the inning in Panther favor, 1-0. 

The Devils rallied back in the bottom half of the inning off a three-run triple by Tassielli. Teammate Frank LaGuarina later singled to bring Tassielli home. FDU-Florham led 4-1 heading into the third inning.   

Fantino doubled to start off the fourth and reached third off a Ramirez groundout to first base. With one runner in scoring position, the Panthers came up short as Giddens grounded out for the last out of the inning.

Andrew Fingerhut (FR/Smithtown, NY) took the mound for Fantino to start off the bottom of the fourth. Three straight outs would end the inning as the Panthers geared up for an attempted comeback in the fifth. With one out and bases loaded, Jonas hit an RBI sacrifice flyout. Trischitta was later caught stealing second to end the inning.

The Panthers scored another run in the top of the eighth off a Ramirez RBI single to left. The Devils answered back in the bottom half, scoring an unearned run off a balk.

The Panthers were down to the final two outs with a man on first and second when Trischitta grounded out to shortstop, advancing the runners into scoring position. 

Devil closer Bobby Bray then walked Jonas, and with the bases loaded Jay Ruiz (JR/Bronx, NY) grounded out to the third basemen for the final out.

In defeat, Fantino took the loss for Purchase.  He allowed five hits, four runs and walked six in three innings on the mound. 

Starting pitcher for the Devils, AJ Pichalski took the win for the home team after throwing six innings and giving up only two runs. Bray got the save, breaking a FDU-Florham program record along the way.

With the loss, the 2014 Panther season comes to a close. Purchase ends the year with an overall record of 17-13.