Hackettstown, N.J.: The SUNY Cobleskill baseball team took to the road again on Saturday to split a twin bill with the host Cyclones of Centenary University taking the first game by a score of 13-11 then losing in the nightcap 11-6 in games played on the turf at the Diamond of Dreams Complex. With the split the Fighting Tigers are now 7-4 overall on the season to date while the Cyclones are now 3-5 overall on the campaign.
In the opener the Fighting Tigers took advantage of the long ball to move out to an 11-0 lead after three and a half innings on the strength of a pair of home runs by junior left fielder
Jayson Maxwell, Newport, N.Y., West Canada High School, and four runs scored by junior right fielder
Nick Thomas, Scotia, N.Y., Scotia-Glenville High School/Hudson Valley Community College, who walked three times and tripled in the early frames.
However the Cyclones rallied for five runs in the bottom of the fourth and continued to chip away at the Cobleskill lead until things stood at 12-9 entering the top of the seventh inning.
Nick Thomas then led off the seventh with a solo home run, his fourth of the season, to make it 13-9 and despite a two-out seventh inning rally; Centenary fell just short at 13-11.
Jayson Maxwell led the Fighting Tiger offense going 3-for-5 with two home runs, three runs scored and five RBI while
Nick Thomas was 2-for-2 with three walks, a triple, a home run, five runs scored and a run batted in. Junior center fielder
Eddy Garcia, Bronx, N.Y., World View High School, continued his strong play going 1-for-3 with a double, two runs scored and two RBI with freshman designated hitter
Jack Miller, Oakland, N.J., Indian Hills High School, returning to his home state to go 2-for-3 with a double and a RBI.
Sophomore
Kristopher Bulman, Williamson, N.Y., Williamson High School, went four innings to earn the win allowing five runs on seven hits to improve to 2-1 overall on the year.
In the nightcap, the game was tied 4-4 after four innings of play when Centenary outscored the Fighting Tigers 7-1 in the fifth and sixth innings to put the game out of reach.
Once again left fielder
Jayson Maxwell had a big game for Cobleskill going 2-for-4 with a home run, a run scored and two RBI while right fielder
Nick Thomas going 1-for-4 with a home run, a run scored and a RBI. Designated hitter
Jack Miller was also a big contributor on offensive going 2-for-2 with a stolen base, two runs scored and a RBI.
The Orange & Black will conclude the weekend road trip on Sunday when they return to the Diamond of Dreams Complex in Hackettstown, N.J. to face the Cyclones for another doubleheader with starting times of 11:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
