UB Baseball Opens 2021 Season With 3-1 Home Win Over Queens (N.Y.) College

Bridgeport, Conn.-A two-RBI double by freshman catcher Anthony Pascale (Stony Brook, N.Y.) in the bottom of the sixth inning snapped a 1-1 tie, and clutch relief pitching by junior Justin Hafele (Shelton, Conn.) helped the University of Bridgeport baseball team (1-0, 1-0 East Coast Conference) to a 3-1 season-opening win over the visiting Queens (N.Y.) College Knights (1-2, 0-1 ECC) in Seaside Park on Thursday afternoon.

Pascale drove a ringing two-base hit to centerfield with no outs in the sixth to plate senior Matt Rodriguez (New Milford, Conn.) and graduate student Andre Marchesseault (Cheshire, Conn.).  The duo the inning with a base on balls by Rodriguez and a double by Marchesseault, who got his 2021 season off to a fine start going 2-for-3 at the plate with two doubles and one run batted in.

Hafele, who entered the game with bases loaded no outs in the bottom of the eighth, escaped the jam by striking out two and inducing an inning-ending fielder's choice, and he followed that up with a scoreless ninth to earn the save.

Senior Anthony Martino (West Sayville, N.Y.) picked up the win in Thursday's season debut working his way out of several tight spots due to wildness, as he pitched seven innings, allowing only three hits, one run (earned) with four strikeouts and eight walks.

The Purple Knights also had their speed game on display in Thursday's victory, as UB swiped six bases led by senior Conall Roberts (Mount Laurel, N.J.) with three, junior Ryan Donnelly (Fairfield, Conn.) with two and freshman Jake Woods (Stony Brook, N.Y.) had one stolen base.

The same two teams will meet again on Saturday in Flushing, N.Y, to close out their three-game conference series with a doubleheader scheduled for a 12 noon first pitch.