By LOGAN RIPLEY
Sports Editor
Though the trip to warmer weather was a break for most students at Saint Rose, the men’s baseball team had multiple matchups to prepare for in North and South Carolina.
Saint Rose started their trip the Saturday before break in Florence, South Carolina, losing three close ones to number twelve Francis Marion.
They then continued on to face number three USC-Aiken and dropped one there before losing to Claflin also the next day.
Arriving in Cary, NC the Golden Knights participated in the Division II Challenge at USA Baseball National Training Center.
They would win their only game of the trip against Dominican 8-4 on March 10.
They would then lose two close games, falling 7-5 to Saint Augustine’s and 3-2 to Winston-Salem State.
For the first of the two games on March 11, Saint Rose was hot with the bats, scoring five runs.
Freshmen outfielder Ernie Geraci highlighted the Saint Rose lineup, going to the dish four times and coming away with three hits and two runs scored.
St. Augustine’s would come away with the victory as Timothy Carter earned the save and Rickey Rice the win, while Steven Burke earned the loss in the first of two for the Golden Knights.
The second game versus Winston-Salem State featured less contact from the plate.
Down two in the eighth, freshman second baseman Andrew Pedone singled in fellow freshman Anthony Scheller to lower the deficit to one run.
Down one, Saint Rose couldn’t overcome it, ending 1-2-3 in the ninth to the Rams.
Seth Reeves earned the win for Winston-Salem State, while Michael Pastore took the loss for Saint Rose.
Saint Rose finished their southern swing 1-6 and 1-11 overall on the season.
The Golden Knights will hope to begin a winning streak Wednesday, March 22 as they face off against Saint Thomas Aquinas in Sparkill, NY.
