Pitcher Brian Bunyan went the distance for Molloy,…
By Anthony Bosco
The Archbishop Molloy Stanners needed to overcome a pair of two-run deficits to finally put away the St. Francis Prep Terriers, 7-4, in the teams’ league opener Monday afternoon at Stanner Field.
Pitcher Brian Bunyan went the distance for Molloy, striking out eight, including the final two batters he faced, out-deuling Prep’s Brian Morgan, who was 10-0 last year. But things could not have started rockier for the senior left-hander.
Prep’s Danny Iocco led off the game with a walk and, after Bunyan fanned Anthony Jenna, third baseman Nicky Theoharis belted the first pitch he saw out of the park, the ball sailing high above the left-center field fence.
Bunyan got Sylvester Gutierrez and Richie McGraw to both fly out to left to end the inning, but the damage was done.
“Babe was effective, but we’ve seen him pitch better,” said Molloy coach Jack Curran of his ace. “He has good movement on his ball.”
The Stanners got two back right away in the bottom of the inning. With two out, Phil Kuhner lined a single to center, setting up John Sikiric’s bloop single to right, just out of reach of the outstretched arms of the diving Jason Lieberfeld. Kuhner got as far as second, but a wild throw allowed him two score and Sikiric to move all the way to third. Hasani Whitfield then smacked a line drive double to left field, tying the game at 2.
Morgan, the team’s ace a year ago as a junior, was hit hard all day, but again benefited from Prep’s offense in the third.
Prep recaptured the lead in the third, when Steven Eng reached first on a infield hit and moved to second on Iocco’s bunt single. Jenna sacrificed the two runners to second and third, setting up Theoharis with one out. But the slugger struck out looking. With two out, Bunyan could not get Gutierrez, who singled down the line in left, scoring both runners and putting Prep in front 4-2.
Molloy nearly got even in the bottom of the inning when, with one out, Mike Baxter singled and Kuhner doubled to put runners and second and third. But Sikiric grounded to Theoharis at third, who fired home to catcher Mike Agilorano for the second out. With runners at the corners, Whitfield flied to center to end the threat.
Bunyan faced the minimum in the top of the fourth, courtesy of a strike-’em-out, throw-’em-out double play, but helped his own cause in the bottom of the inning, singling home Fred Estes, who was hit by a pitch. Mike Vollaro’s sacrifice fly to center score Anthony DiTroia, who was also hit by Morgan, tying the game at 4.
It could have been worse. Baxter and Kuhner both walked to load the bases, but Sikiric flew out harmlessly to right to end the threat.
Prep, however, was without Morgan for the rest of the day.
“He just didn’t have it,” said St. Francis Prep coach Brother Robert Kent. “Molloy’s a good team. They just hit the ball.”
St. Francis went in order in the fifth and, facing new hurler EJ Kapella, the Stanners finally went on top. A lead-off double to left by Whitfield was followed by an infield single by Estes and a walk to DiTroia, loading the bases with no out. Mike Vigorito’s bloop single scored Whitfield, but DiTroia was forced out at second. Bunyan grounded out to third, but Estes scored on the play. Vollaro grounded out to end the inning, but Molloy now led 6-4.
Prep managed a base runner in the sixth, but Bunyan retired the side without incident. Sikiric provided an insurance run for the Stanners in the bottom of the inning, tripling home Baxter, who led off the stanza with a double.
Bunyan closed the show in the seventh, getting Lieberfeld to fly out and fanning both Brian Forman and Eng to end the game.
‘We had to comeback on them twice,” Curran said after the game. “It was a good win.”
Molloy, which won six preseason scrimmages prior to Monday’s game, is 1-0, with Christ the King on tap Thursday and Xaverian Monday. Prep, which was to play McClancy Wednesday, will host Holy Cross Thursday.
Reach Sports Editor Anthony Bosco by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 130.
