Dominican Takes Game Two Over St. Thomas University

March 11, 2006

Dominican Takes Game Two Over St. Thomas University

Miami Gardens, Fla.--St. Thomas University (13-10) and Dominican College (N.Y.) (7-5) each took a game in Saturday's doubleheader at Esposito Stadium. Tommy Mejia (Brooklyn, NY) allowed just four hits as the Chargers salvaged the final game of the three-game set, 4-1.

Dominican Takes Game Two Over St. Thomas University

Courtesy of St. Thomas University Sports Information

Jose Escalera (Bronx, NY) provided the offense and Mejia made sure his first baseman's three-run double held up in Dominican's 4-1 win in the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader.

After pitching out of trouble in the first four innings, St. Thomas starter was no longer able to
dance around the raindrops in the fifth.

Eliezer Nunez (Brooklyn, NY) singled to left to lead off and Frank Maynard (Brooklyn, NY)pinch ran for him. Joe Kubanik (Stony Point, NY) then reached on a well-placed bunt down the third baseline. Peter Gilardo (Cornwall, NY) bunted both runners over and reached first safely when Valenzuela bobbled the bunt to load the bases. Escalera followed with the big hit of the game, a double over Lago in center that scored all three runners and gave Dominican a 3-0 lead.

Kubanik's two-out single in the sixth sent home Michael Zani (Goshen, NY) with the fourth Chargers run.

All the while, Mejia silenced the St. Thomas bats. He didn't allow more than one hit in any inning and no Bobcat scored until the sixth. Adrian B. led off with a single to right field and Pascual then walked. Mejia then got Lago and Pascual as part of a 6-3 double play to kill any hopes of a big rally. Gonzalez did score the Bobcats' lone run on a wild pitch.

St. Thomas got a the tying run to the plate in the seventh when Mejia plunked Gutierrez and walked Alex Rodriguez, but Cesar Florin grounded out to short to end the game.

Mejia pitched a complete-game, three-hitter, allowing one run, while walking two and fanning six.

Valenzuela competed hard but still allowed 10 hits and four runs - three earned - in 5.2 innings. He walked one and fanned six.

The aim of Dominican University New York is to promote educational excellence, leadership, and service in an environment characterized by respect for the individual and concern for the community and its needs. Founded by the Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt, the university is an independent institution of higher learning, Catholic in origin and heritage. In the Dominican tradition, it fosters the active, shared pursuit of truth and embodies an ideal of education rooted in the values of reflective understanding and compassionate involvement. Committed to building its programs upon a strong foundation in the liberal arts and sciences, the university maintains a student-centered climate and serves a diverse community of students in undergraduate and graduate programs. The university empowers this community of learners to excel, lead and serve with integrity and to engage responsibly in the pursuit of a more just, ethical and sustainable world. Dominican also sponsors 18 varsity intercollegiate sports that compete at the NCAA Division II level. To learn more about Dominican University New York, please visit www.duny.edu.