COUGAR BASEBALL

BASEBALL FALLS TO ADELPHI DESPITE SAXON'S HOMERS

4-20-07
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PARSIPPANY, N.J. - Freshman Adric Saxon (Coral Springs, FL/Taravella), left, hit a pair of home runs, including a grand slam in the fourth inning, but the Caldwell College baseball team lost a non-conference game to Adelphi University, 15-8 Friday afternoon at Smith Field. Saxon now leads the Cougars with 10 homers on the season. The loss drops Caldwell to 16-7 and ends the Cougars' seven-game winning streak. The Panthers improve to 22-9 with their ninth win in a row.

After surrendering a first-inning home run to  Adelphi's Mike Testani, the Cougars took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first on Saxon's two-run home run to centerfield. The Panthers answered with four runs in the top of the second, including a three-run homer from Ralph Tropiano, that game Adelphi a 5-2 advantage. Another three-run shot in the top of the fourth, this time by Ryan Boelsen, made the score 8-2. In the bottom of the fourth, Caldwell loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. Saxon followed with another bomb to centerfield for his first career grand slam that pulled the Cougars to within two, 8-6.

The score remained 8-6 until the top of the eighth, when the Panthers put three more runs on the board for an 11-6 lead. A pinch-hit two-run single by sophomore Aaron Hoffstatter (Glasco, NY/Saugerties), right, in the bottom of the eighth made it 11-8, but the Cougars were unable to get any closer. Another home run by Boelsen in the top of the ninth sparked a four-run inning that put he game out of reach for Caldwell.

Saxon, who entered the week leading the nation in RBIs per game (1.67), finished with six RBIs to give him 43 in 23 games so far this season (1.87 per game). Adelphi hammered out 22 hits, including five homers and four doubles. Boelsen, Testani, Rob DeGennaro and Billy Melillo each had four hits for the Panthers.

The Cougars play an important Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader at Wilmington College on Saturday, Apr. 21. The first pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. at Wilson Field.

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