Devito Pitches NYU-Poly to Win Over Blue Knights

Newburgh, NY -  After Saturday's double-header against Skyline perennial power Farmingdale, in which the Jays lost 19-3 and 28-6 to the 2009 College World Series finalists, NYU-Poly got back onto the diamond Sunday against Mount Saint Mary College (MSM). And, after a stellar pitching performance by freshmen Sal DeVito (Pequannock, NJ), the Jays find themselves back at .500, as they split with Blue Knights, dropping the first game 11-8, before winning the second 7-1.

In the first game, held a 7-5 lead going into the bottom of the sixth inning. However, MSM (2-9, Skyline 2-2) scored six runs in the inning highlighted by a 3-RBI double by Louis Peisel. The Jays answered with one in the top of the seventh as junior Brian Benisvy (Long Beach, NY)  walked and later scored on a sacrifice fly by senior Jon Paul Anatra (Douglaston, NY). However, that was all the runs NYU-Poly would score as they left a pair of runners stranded in the eighth and another in the ninth, allowing the Blue Knights to earn the victory.

Anatra, who replaced freshmen Anthony Finch (New York, NY) in the 6th inning, took the loss. He pitched three innings, giving up four runs on seven hits, while striking out one and walking  one.  Finch gave up seven runs on six hits before coming out of the game in the sixth inning. 

Freshmen Jeremy SIlva (Brooklyn, NY) went 2-for-4 with a double and three runs scored, while Anatra was also 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI.

Game two saw DeVito pitch a six-hit gem, in earning his first collegiate victory for NYU-POly. Meanwhile his defense was perfect behind him. The Jays defense was errorless in the contest, while the Blue Knights committed four miscues leading to five unearned runs for NYU-Poly. 

DeVito struck out two and walked two while allowing just the one earned run. Sophomore Jeff Mikula suffered the loss for MSM, pitching just three innings. He allowed five hits and four runs, all unearned, while allowing one walk.

At the plate, DeVito helped himself going 3-for-3 with a walk and drove in two runs. Finch went 2-for-3 with three RBI and junior Jeff Burdier (Ozone Park) finished the day 2-for-4 with a double. Anatra scored three times for the Jays, who left nine runners on base for the game.

NYU-Poly (3-3, Skyline 3-3) will face College of Staten Island at 3:30pm on Friday at CSI.