Purchase, NY
(April 17, 2018) – Fittingly,
Jonathon Deacon set the tone on Senior Day.
The Panther ace, and lone senior, pitched Purchase to a 4-2 game-one win Tuesday night. The righty went seven innings to improve to 6-0. Purchase nearly capped the memorable evening by moving into first place in the Skyline Conference standings, but an early game two lead was lost in the middle innings of an eventual 12-3 defeat.
Nonetheless, Purchase's game one victory is a highlight of the season, and still keeps them on track for the postseason. The nine-inning, game one win, also holds valuable weight in a potential tiebreaker.
Pre-game festivities for Deacon (SR/Lindenhurst, NY) celebrated a pitcher who has gotten better each year. And although the Panthers would fall behind 1-0 in the first, Deacon and the ceremonious afternoon seemed to spark a club that has been rolling of late. Purchase rallied for two runs in the fifth and gave Deacon and the bullpen the support it needed late, scoring two more runs in the seventh, on the way to victory.
MSMC scored a single run in the ninth, but closer
Lorenzo Lagares (SO/Jamaica, NY) rebounded and closed the door for his fourth save of the spring.
Deacon finished with three strikeouts and one earned run over seven.
"Over the course of the past four years,
Jonathon Deacon has exemplified maturity, a superior work ethic, a cool demeanor, and a willingness to learn. There is no better example of development over time,"
Sports Information Director Bobby Ciafardini, who MCed the Senior Day, said to the crowd, reading from a speech written by
head coach Adam Taraska.
"He started 15 games over the course of his career, two his freshman year, four his sophomore year, three his junior year, and six in this, his senior year. He's found a way of combining hard work – an attribute he's always had – with the ability to put it all together in his senior year. He has been the team's ace this year with a 5-0 record and a sterling 1.83 era in 39.1 innings. This season's highlights include six innings of shutout ball in a win over FDU-Florham, a seven-inning, two-hit gem against cross-town rival Manhattanville, a seven-inning, two earned-run performance in a no-decision against Old Westbury, and last week's nine-inning complete game win over Farmingdale.
"Universally respected by teammates and coaches alike, his presence will be sorely missed next year," Ciafardini added.
MSMC's Christopher Introcaso singled home the first run of the game in the top half of the first, but Purchase loaded the bases in the fifth.
Gregory Walsh (JR/Bethpage, NY) showed a keen eye and walked with the bases juiced to cut the deficit in half. Standout rookie
Dylan Flynn (FR/Smithtown, NY) followed with a sacrifice fly to even the score.
In the seventh, captain
Brian Cunningham (JR/Westbury, NY) doubled in two runs, plating Walsh and
Gavin Brien (SO/Brooklyn, NY) for a 4-1 advantage. The captain's go-ahead double would be the game-winning hit, despite a run by MSMC in the ninth.
In game two, Cunningham started on the hill and pitched well until the third and fourth, where he gave up two runs and the go-ahead run, respectively. The Panthers jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but the Knights responded with those three runs and a huge fifth – six runs – en route to the 12-3 final.
Introcaso finished with two hits and three RBI for the visitors in game two. The Panthers were led by
Matthew Mulligan (FR/Bellport, NY), who totaled two RBI in the loss.
The Panthers are currently in fourth place in the league standings, with all four teams separated by a game.
