02/27/2009
Baseball Drops Doubleheader to Farmingdale in Season Opener

WINTER HAVEN, FLA. 2/27/09 - The Clark University baseball team dropped a doubleheader to Farmingdale State College (N.Y.) in its season-opener during spring week in Winter Haven, Florida.

The Cougars (0-2) only scored one run in each game, falling 3-1 and 4-1. After qualifying for the NCAA Division III Championships last year, Farmingdale improved to 3-1 on the young season.

In the opener, the Rams scored runs in the second, third and fifth inning en route to the win. With two outs and a man on, sophomore Scott Hollingsworth (Tilton, N.H.) drove in Clarks lone run in the bottom of the seventh to account for the final score.

Freshman Mitch DeLorenzo (Berlin, Conn.) had two hits to lead Clark.

Senior Matt Tillo (Osterville, Mass.) took the loss on the mound for the Cougars. He allowed three runs on six hits and struck out three in six innings of work.

Junior Phil DiMarco's (Bellingham, Mass.) RBI sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth made it a 1-1 game in the nightcap. However, Farmingdale plated a run in the bottom half of the frame to take a 2-1 lead and increased its margin to 4-1 in the bottom of the sixth.

Clark made it interesting in the top of the seventh. DeLorenzo and DiMarco led off the inning with back-to-back singles, and advanced to second and third on an error by Farmingdale's first baseman. But Billy Garafolo (Patchogue, N.Y.) got Clark's next three batters to strike out, fly out and pop up to end the inning.

DeLorenzo collected two hits to pace the Cougars. Freshman Nick Winchell (Scituate, R.I.) was credited with the loss.

Clark will face Cornell College of Iowa in a doubleheader on Saturday (11 a.m.)