March 9, 2010

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LAURINBURG, N.C.—St. Andrews Presbyterian College junior Michael Cantwell (Burlington, N.J.) drove in four runs and hit his first home run of the season in a 16-10 loss to visiting Tusculum College on Tuesday afternoon at Clark Field.

Junior Michael Cantwell (pictured) hit his first home run in a Royal Blue & White uniform while swiping his team-high 14th stolen base against Tusculum on Tuesday.

Trailing by 11, the Knights (2-19-1) made a valiant effort at a comeback scoring the next six runs but the Pioneers (8-10) were able to hold off the late charge for the six-run victory.

The trio of junior Payden Houser (4 RBI) and seniors Nate Grabowski (3 RBI) and Paul Finger (3 RBI) manufactured 10 Tusculum runs. Grabowski hit a two-run homer in the fifth and Houser produced four run scoring singles.

St. Andrews jumped out to a two-run lead in the bottom of the first. Junior Manny Williams (Wilmington, N.C.) and Cantwell started the frame with consecutive singles and stolen bases. Williams scored on Cantwell’s base knock while Cantwell scored on an infield single by freshman Daniel Oliver (Plymouth, N.C.).

The Pioneers tied the game in the top of the second before taking the lead for good with three runs in the third, six runs in the fourth, and three more in the fifth. Grabowski crossed home plate in his first four at-bats helping Tusculum build its 15-4 advantage.

The Knights started its comeback attempt in the seventh on an RBI-single by senior Josh Axelsen (St. Charles, Ill.), before the Knights erupted for five runs on five consecutive two-out hits in the eighth. Freshmen Adrian Rivera (Staten Island, N.C.) and Dalton Steed started the outburst with singles before Manny Williams drove in Rivera with the third straight single. Cantwell then launched a three-run bomb down the left field line for his first home run at St. Andrews. Senior Samson Williams (Wilmington, N.C.) followed with an encore solo shot over the right field fence but Tusculum ended the rally with a strikeout.

Samson Williams has hit five solo homers in the past four games. Younger brother Manny Williams finished the day going 3-for-5 with three runs scored and three stolen bases. Junior R.J. Blasi (Hubert, N.C.) and sophomore Michael Ficarro (Pine City, N.Y.) both ripped two hits for the Royal Blue & White.

Junior starter Jason Gardner (1-1) picked up the win pitching six effective innings before the Knights ruffed up the Pioneers bullpen. Junior counterpart DJ Turpin (Big Island, Va.) took the loss for SAPC.

The two teams will meet again tomorrow (Wednesday) for one more game at 2 p.m.