Six Run Fourth Leads Baseball to 7-5 Win over Manhattan

Baseball 4/18/2009 9:30:00 PM Canisius College Athletics

Baseball Splits Doubleheader with Saint Peter?s

On a day of two records falling at the Demske Sports Complex, the Canisius College baseball team split a doubleheader with visiting Saint Peter's. The Golden Griffins lost the first game 7-5 and rebounded to win the second game 4-2. The Golden Griffins are now 20-17 on the season and 6-5 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

Senior Kevin Mahoney set the single-season home run record with his 14th of the season, an opposite-field, solo homer in the fourth inning. Redshirt sophomore Shane Davis went the distance in the second game, picking up his 17th career victory to set a new program record.

On the day, senior Brian Gibbs was 3-for-6 with two home runs while senior Connor Burke led the Griffs with four hits in six at-bats. Junior Ian Choy had two hits in the first game, but went hitless in the second game and saw his hitting streak end at a career-long 12 games.

In the second game, Burke got Canisius on the board with an RBI double in the third inning, scoring Paul Panik from first base. In the fourth, Mahoney and Gibbs each hit solo homers to make it 3-0.

Saint Peter's (10-25, 4-10) responded with two runs in the fifth off Davis as Justyn Carter had an RBI triple and Conor Mullee had an RBI groundout.

The Griffs added an insurance run in the sixth when Shayne Willson led off with a triple and pinch runner Perry Silverman scored on a sacrifice fly from Branson Joseph.

Davis allowed a one-out, infield single in the seventh, but then struck out the next two batters to close out the game. Davis improved to 5-2 on the season and had the 13th complete game of his career. Davis struck out nine, allowed six hits and walked zero.

In the first game, Canisius built a 4-1 lead before Saint Peter's scored six of the final seven runs to pick up the win. After the Peacocks scored one in the top of the first, the Griffs responded with three in the bottom of the second. Canisius received a sacrifice fly from Joseph and RBI singles from Alec Cabello and Burke. However, Burke was thrown out at first after taking a wide turn, one of three times in the first game that Canisius ran into outs on the base paths.

A sacrifice fly from Silverman made it 4-1 in the fourth. Saint Peter's then tied the game in the sixth on a three-run, two-out homer from Brandon Edwards.

The Griffs took the lead in the sixth on a solo homer from Gibbs, making the score 4-3. The Peacocks came back in the fourth as an RBI double from Mullee tied the game.

Panik led off the seventh with a single and pinch runner Will Chomicki moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Choy was hit by a pitch to put runners and first and second. Kevin Mailloux sent a grounder to third, and a fielding error temporarily loaded the bases. However, Chomicki got caught in a rundown after taking a wide turn around third for the second out of the inning. After an intentional walk to Mahoney reloaded the bases, Joseph flied out to end the rally.

Saint Peter's won the game with two runs in the ninth, on an RBI triple from Carter and sacrifice fly from Mullee. Canisius got the tying runs on base in the bottom of the ninth, but Mahoney stuck out swinging to end the game.

Senior Alex MacKenzie started for the Griffs and went 6.1 innings, allowing five runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out seven. Senior Matt Weber took the loss, allowing two runs on two hits while walking four in 2.2 innings.

Canisius and Saint Peter's wrap up the series with a nine-inning game on Sunday. Game time at the Demske Sports Complex is set for 12 p.m.

Game Notes: Mahoney broke the home run record of Todd Schell, who hit 13 during the 1994 season... Davis broke the career wins record of Tim Krawczyk, who had 16 from 1983-86... Davis has 17 wins in 21 career starts... The win by Saint Peter's in the first game ended a seven-game winning streak by Canisius in the series... Canisius has now won 20 games for the third consecutive season and just the fifth time in program history... Canisius has eight triples in the last six games after recording five in the opening 31 games... In his last two starts, Davis has zero walks and 16 strikeouts while allowing seven hits in 14 innings pitched.

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Players Mentioned

#5 Connor Burke: 1B/OF; 6' 0"; Senior

#22 Alec Cabello: SS; 5' 10"; Senior

#7 Will Chomicki: OF; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#17 Ian Choy: OF; 5' 9"; Junior

#32 Shane Davis: P; 6' 0"; Redshirt Sophomore

#25 Brian Gibbs: 1B; 6' 1"; Senior

#2 Branson Joseph: OF; 6' 0"; Senior

#35 Alex MacKenzie: P; 6' 0"; Senior

#4 Kevin Mahoney: 3B; 6' 0"; Senior

#12 Kevin Mailloux: 2B; 6' 0"; Redshirt Senior

#29 Paul Panik: C; 6' 0"; Junior

#24 Perry Silverman: OF; 5' 10"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#5 Connor Burke
: 6' 0"; Senior
: 1B/OF

#22 Alec Cabello
: 5' 10"; Senior
: SS

#7 Will Chomicki
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: OF

#17 Ian Choy
: 5' 9"; Junior
: OF

#32 Shane Davis
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Sophomore
: P

#25 Brian Gibbs
: 6' 1"; Senior
: 1B

#2 Branson Joseph
: 6' 0"; Senior
: OF

#35 Alex MacKenzie
: 6' 0"; Senior
: P

#4 Kevin Mahoney
: 6' 0"; Senior
: 3B

#12 Kevin Mailloux
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Senior
: 2B

#29 Paul Panik
: 6' 0"; Junior
: C

#24 Perry Silverman
: 5' 10"; Junior
: OF