PURCHASE, N.Y. - Purchase College baseball split a pair of games Saturday afternoon, as the Panthers hosted their Anderson Hill Road rival, Manhattanville College.

The hosts took game one by the score of 3-1, before falling in game two, 2-1.

With the split, Purchase is now 11-17 overall and 7-7 in Skyline Conference games. For the Valiants, they now sit at 18-14 and 11-5, respectively. 

Game 1 - Purchase 3, Manhattanville 1 (7 inn.)

The opening inning of the day saw the guests jump in front with their lone run of the contest.

Interestingly, Manhattanville got the run across the plate without a hit, as a walk, an error and a stolen base all lead up to an eventual RBI-groundout. 

The lack of hitting became a theme for the guests, as Purchase ace Myles Scarry (SO/Levittown, NY) limited them all day.

Over his seven-inning complete game, Scarry allowed just one hit (a single), walked six and struckout six.

While the sophomore was dealing on the mound, he received some crucial run support to aid the cause. 

In the fourth, the Panthers plated two runs following an RBI-groundout from Jason Sebastiano (SO/Brooklyn, NY) and an RBI-single from Sam Saltzman (FR/Plainview, NY).

One inning later, Mason Compton (FR/Carmel, NY) crossed home following a Manhattanville error. Compton led the offense with two hits in the win, as the team belted out eight in total.

Class of 2020 Senior Day Ceremony

Following the game one victory, the Panthers took time to honor nine alumni from the Class of 2020 by hosting a Senior Day Ceremony for the group.

The group of nine included: Ray Winans, Nick Lasala, John Fitzgerald, Lorenzo Lagares, Gavin Brien, Jackson Hill, Nick Torres, CJ Owens and Patrick Wallace.

The nine players all graduated back in 2020, but not before their senior season was cut short and canceled due to the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Head coach Adam Taraska wanted to make sure that this import group of players received their Senior Day one day, and was able to make it happen this season.

As for the ceremony, eight of the nine players were there Saturday (Fitzgerald was missing due to a prior commitment) and all had prepared words from coach Taraska read from them. Each came out to the mound to receive gifts, take photos and celebrate with their former teammates and friends. 

Game 2 - Manhattanville 2, Purchase 1

After the celebration, the Panthers returned to the field for game two of the doubleheader. Just as in game one, this contest was another low-scoring affair.

The guests jumped in front with an RBI-single in the second inning, but then the runs ceased until the eighth.

During that frame, the Valiants scored the eventual winning run off a Purchase balk and pushed their margin to 2-0.

In the the bottom half of the inning, the Panthers mounted a comeback as James Shea (SR/Brooklyn, NY) led off with a walk. During the next at-bat, he stole second base, before being knocked home by Christian Homa's (SO/Fairfield, CT) single.

After cutting the lead in half, the hosts induced a 1-2-3 ninth inning on the mound to give themselves the chance to secure a walk-off win.

That looked like a strong possibility after Scarry led off the frame with a double, before advancing to third base off a Max Vera (SR/Bethpage, NY) single. 

Now with runners at the corners and just one out, Purchase was primed to score.

However, the Valiants' closer, Thomas Iazzetta (JR/Thornwood, NY) shut down that notion with a strikeout and pop fly to secure the tight win for the guests.

In all, the Panthers finished with seven hits in the loss.

On the mound, Ryan Castrataro (JR/Mahopac, NY) tossed another gem in the losing effort. He went 7.2 innings, allowed two runs over eight hits and struckout three. 

Up next for the baseball team is the final home doubleheader of the year, as it hosts Farmingdale State College tomorrow (4/23). First pitch is set for 11 a.m. and the contest will serve as Senior Day for the 2022 class.


Below are the Senior Day remarks for the 2020 class, as prepared by Head Coach Adam Taraska:

In the early spring of 2020, our world changed. The worldwide pandemic that is still affecting us today, forced college students home from campus, and the college baseball season was unceremoniously canceled. Today we honor the Panther seniors from the graduating class of 2020. 

The first 2020 graduate came to Purchase after a stint at conference rival Old Westbury. He spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons as a Panther and was a big part of the dugout and the clubhouse. Unfortunately for him and for the Panthers, he spent much of his Purchase career rehabbing injury, but that didn't sour his drive or enthusiasm for his team. Always willing to lend a hand and quick with a snappy quip, the right-handed pitcher was looked to for many team related things over the course of his time here. The much beloved teammate graduated with a degree in liberal studies and is currently a laborer in the parks and recreation field. Joined by his mother, Carolyn, and sister, Amie, #25 Ray Winans!!! 

This next 2020 graduate came to Purchase by way of St. John the Baptist HS and conference rival Farmingdale State. The three-year Panther played in 47 games, with his best statistical season coming in his sophomore season of 2018 when he hit .308 and drove in 14 runs. Overall, he was a .303 career hitter and pounded out 40 hits. A nagging hamstring injury kept him from doing much bigger things in orange and blue, but in his time, he was a feared hitter in the middle of the lineup when he was active. He graduated with a degree in Legal Studies and is currently working as a personal trainer @ Crunch Fitness on Long Island. Accompanied by his mother, Christine, father, Mike, and girlfriend, Katherine, #13 Nick Lasala!!! 

The next 2020 grad had another obligation and couldn't be with us today. The three-year Panther was recruited as a freshman out of Wantagh HS, where he was a major piece of his team's NY State championship in his senior season. He started 25 games his freshman year, where he drove him 13 runs and scored 11 while pounding out 23 hits. After spending his sophomore season in junior college, he returned to the club and was nothing short of outstanding in his junior year, as he was named 2nd team All Skyline conference for his efforts. The two-way pitcher/outfielder was a career .315 hitter in his 55 games played. He also started 8 career games on the mound, striking out 51 in his 49 innings pitched. His best season on the mound was his All-Conference junior season where he went 4-1 with a 2.28 ERA and struck out 29 while walking only 9. Celebrating in spirit from afar, #65 John Fitzgerald!!! 

Our next 2020 grad was a four-year Panther on the mound. His cool demeanor was perfect for his back of the bullpen role during his time here. His best season was his sophomore year of 2018 when he appeared in 16 games, pitching 13 1/3 innings, locking down a team leading 4 saves. Over the course of his career, he pitched 33 2/3 innings, striking out 18, while relying on his hard slider to induce ground ball after ground ball. He graduated with a sterling 3.5 GPA and a degree in Sociology and is currently a Campus Recruiting Coordinator at Goldman Sachs. Accompanied by his mother, Faye, #31 Lorenzo Lagares!!! 

Our next 2020 grad was another four-year Panther, who patrolled CF for the Panthers, often times spectacularly. Recruited out of Midwood HS in Brooklyn, where he won a NY city championship his senior season, the defensive wiz routinely saved runs for the team with his range and ability to make degree-of-difficulty plays look ordinary. He played in just 67 career games due to an injury shortened sophomore season. Over the course of his career, he pounded out 44 hits, scored 34 runs, drove in 20, walked 33 times, and stole 17 bases without being caught stealing once. Perhaps his niche, the ball magnet was hit by 18 pitches in his career, with 7 alone in his junior year of 2019, a figure that led the Skyline Conference. He graduated with a 3.2 GPA and a degree in Sociology, and is currently an Associate Project Manager at Signant Health. Accompanied by his friend and teammate Patrick Wallace, #57 Gavin Brien!!! 

Our next 2020 grad was also a four year Panther. Recruited out of Xavier HS in New York City, the lovable catcher played 63 career games. The backstop's best year came in his sophomore season of 2018 where he hit .360 and had a .515 OBP while cutting down would be base stealer after would be base stealer. For his efforts that season, he was named 1st team All Skyline conference. A constant source of good vibes and a well-respected friend and teammate, the Panther mainstay led by example and with his brain. His knowledge of the game was an oft-used resource by all. He graduated with a 3.4 GPA and a degree in Journalism. He is currently working as a Site Coordinator for Stark Office Suites. Accompanied by his mother, Marie, father, Monte, and girlfriend Keren, #21 Jackson Hill!!! 

The next 2020 grad was another four-year Panther. The left-handed pitcher was recruited out of Cornwall Central HS in the Hudson Valley. Over the course of his career, he started 10 games on the mound in orange and blue, throwing 85 total innings. He finished with a 6-4 record with one complete game which he threw in his junior year, when he also pitched to a 2.63 ERA in 35 innings. The southpaw did not rely on the strikeout, as his forte was allowing batters to make contact and letting his defense go to work. He is the classic example of improvement over time with experience, as he kept getting better and better each year. He had big things ahead for him in his senior year that was cut short. He graduated with a 3.2 GPA and a degree in Journalism. He is also currently working as a Site Manager at Stark Office Suites. Accompanied by his mother, Aida, father, Nestor, and sister, Amanda, #15 Nick Torres!!! 

The next 2020 grad was another four-year Panther recruited out of Longwood HS on Long Island. The right-handed pitcher started 19 games for the Panthers in his four years. Like many of his classmates, his best season was his junior year of 2019 when he threw 43 1/3 innings in 6 starts, and pitched to a 2.91 ERA with 21 strikeouts and only 14 earned runs allowed. He also added two complete games to his resume that season. One of the Panther front-line starters, he was involved in many important conference battles, and always seemed to excel in the biggest games. He was named a co-captain for the 2020 season. Graduating with a sterling GPA of 3.5 and degree in Journalism, he is currently a contact tracer for New York State and has spent time in the youth coaching ranks. Accompanied by his mother, Eileen, father, Charlie, grandmother, Patricia, aunt Tracey, and girlfriend, Livia….affectionately known as "Slim", #18 CJ Owens!!! 

This 2020 graduate played 98 games in his stellar four-year career as a Panther, highlighted by his monster junior season of 2019 where he hit .330, drove in 16 runs, hit two HR's, stole 10 bases and had an on-base percentage of .452. Over the course of his career, he pounded out 87 hits, drove in 48 runs, stole 22 bases while only being caught 4 times, and hit .301. The offensive stats are complemented by the tremendous defense he played at 3B, routinely making difficult plays look easy. He was voted second-team All Skyline conference in 2018 as a sophomore. A co-captain of the 2020 team, he was looked to for leadership throughout his career. He graduated with a 3.1 GPA and earned a degree in Liberal Studies with a minor in Psychology. He is currently working on a Master's of Healthcare Administration from Southern New Hampshire University. Alongside his mom, Susan, dad, Tom, and girlfriend, Hannah, #3 Patrick Wallace!! 

This class of 2020 has made the program proud and have represented the university with class and passion. They remain involved in alumni activities and can often be seen on campus or at our road games to support their ex-teammates. They are everything a college baseball program could hope for when forming a team. For this and for everything they have done, we say THANK YOU to the Panther Baseball Class of 2020!!