WEST PALM BEACH, FLA.- The Palm Beach Atlantic baseball team dropped a pair of games to the Tusculum Pioneers and the No. 2-ranked North Greenville Crusaders on Saturday. The Sailfish (0-4) started off opening week with four losses in a row at home.
The Sailfish had their first doubleheader of the season on Saturday. They were originally scheduled to just play North Greenville, but due to a predicted thunderstorm on Sunday, the Tusculum Pioneers and Palm Beach Atlantic agreed to each squeeze in a second game early Saturday afternoon. PBA came off two heartbreaking losses to Catawba College and Washburn University on Thursday and Friday. Tusculum faced off against Nova Southeastern University in their first game of the season and lost by a score of 8-2 before traveling to West Palm Beach for their match against the Sailfish. North Greenville, who were picked number two in the preseason polls, got its first win of the season against Barry on Friday by a score of 5-1. The Crusaders then traveled to Lynn University and lost by a score of 3-2 before coming to finish their final game of the weekend against the Sailfish.
The Sailfish compete again Friday Feb. 9 where they will play against Post University at home.
Game One - TU: 8, PBA: 7
The Sailfish found themselves down two runs after the first two innings. In the bottom of the third, the 'Fish got on the board after Matty Warren hit a perfect slice through center field to allow Freshman Giancarlo Chantres to run home. It was a back and forth with runs through the next two innings until the bottom of the fifth where the 'Fish made a big jump to give them their first lead of the game. Three back-to-back singles to left field by Matthew Faranda, Pedro Figueroa, and Stanton Luethner which allowed runners to put three points on the board and give the Sailfish the lead, 5-4.
The Pioneers answered back in the top of the sixth inning with three runs of their own after a walk with the bases loaded and two big hits allowing two more runs, putting them up 7-5. The 'Fish got themselves another score in the bottom of the seventh after a big single to centerfield allowing Trey Miranda to score and make it 7-6. In the bottom of the eighth, Miranda hit another single which allowed Freshman Gracin Cambas even the score at 7-7.
Both teams were even through the ninth which made for an extra inning. The Pioneers were up to bat, facing off against Faranda. Franda surrendered two quick walks, resuilting in coach Kent Bottnefield making a pitching change, putting in the Freshman Jack Mischke. After the change, Tusculum's Jake Absher singled to left field allowing Zach Wilson to put the Pioneers up 8-7. In the bottom of the tenth, the 'Fish had an opportunity to tie or take the lead but could not execute leaving them to fall to the Pioneers.
Warren and Figueroa led the 'Fish with three hits each. Miranda, Luethner, and Faranda each tallied two hits each. Derek Langfelder started the game on the mound for PBA. He tossed 3.2 innings, giving up three runs on five hits and three walks with a strikeout. Although Faranda was charged with the loss, he had a solid relief outing. Walks proved to be his Achilles heel, walking four batters and giving up one run on one hit in four innings.
Game Two - NGU: 18, PBA: 10
The Sailfish were looking to bounce back after a tough loss in extra innings against Tusculum, but were up for a challenge facing off against No. 2 North Greenville University. The two teams started off hot at the plate, tied 5-5 through the top of the fifth inning. That was until Nate Housen had something to say about it. With a man on first and second, he hit a long double to right center field to put the 'Fish up 7-5.
The sixth inning didn't show much action as both teams were not able to put anything on the board. The Crusaders scored four runs in the top of the seventh on three hits, a walk, and a hit by pitch, putting the Sailfish down 9-7 going into the final two innings. It seemed like all hope was lost until the Florida native Ben Green hit a big single to right field with the bases loaded to send two Sailfish runners home which tied the game. Shortly after, Green scored a run to put the 'Fish up 10-9 after another single to centerfield by Warren that had a perfectly got by the Crusaders' second baseman's hands.
Heading into the eighth, the Crusaders managed to tie the ball game at 10 with only one out on the board. NGU padded its leader after David Lewis hit a ball to right field with the bases loaded that found the warning track for a bases-clearing double. The double put NGU ahead 13-10 and it kept the 'Fish scoreless going into the ninth.
The ninth inning struck trouble for PBA as the Crusaders put up five more runs to start the inning. The 'Fish got a hit in the bottom of the frame from Dalton Balma, but PBA was held scoreless in the final inning.
Warren, Faranda and Housen, recorded two hits each. Housen and Green led the 'Fish with three RBIs each. Justin Lovell made his first start of the season for the Sailfish. He gave up four earned runs on seven hits, three walks, with four strikeouts in four innings.
