Box Score WATCH A POSTGAME INTERVIEW WITH JAMES MCNAMARA AND OWEN PODOLEC
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. – Sophomore Owen Podolec (Berwick, Maine) hit his first homer as a collegian in the top of the third inning and scored an insurance run in the eighth frame as the Assumption University baseball team won the rubber match of a three-game weekend series against Bentley by a 6-2 score on Sunday afternoon at Lake Brantley High School.
Batting as the visiting team, Assumption jumped out to a quick lead by plating the game's first run in the top of the first and never trailed at any point. Junior Emilio Acosta (Cromwell, Conn.) doubled to a gap in left center on the first play of the game, advanced to third on a groundout, and then came home on a single to third base by sophomore Jared Berardino (Rowley, Mass.).
Bentley (1-5) tied the game in the bottom of the second on a Kyle Halloran single to center, but the Greyhounds had another response in the top of the third. After Berardino singled to right, Podolec went yard for the first time of his collegiate career by taking a high 1-and-1 pitch over the fence in left field. The blast gave the Greyhounds the lead for good.
Even though they eventually fell behind by a 4-1 score, the Falcons made a huge threat to come back in the bottom of the sixth. With two out and a pair of runners on first and second, the team got an extra life when Halloran reached on a Greyhound infield error that could have been the final out. Instead, starter James McNamara (Westford, Mass.) was faced with a bases-loaded situation with the tying run on first and the winning run at the plate.
McNamara, however, kept his focus and induced a routine flyout to Connor Wironen (Leominster, Mass.) in center to get out of the major jam and keep the Greyhounds ahead by three. Assumption then tacked on a run in the eighth and ninth innings for insurance to come away with the win.
McNamara picked up the victory on the mound after yielding only one run in six innings of work. He struck out four, surrendered five hits, and only issued one walk. Bentley's David Morganelli was tagged with the loss for giving up eight hits and four runs, which were all earned, over six frames.
Assumption (2-1) will next play its first true road game at Flagler on Tuesday afternoon at 5 p.m.
