Bligh's Blasts Keep Scranton In Win Column

SCRANTON, Pa. — Sophomore Chris Bligh (Jersey City, N.J./St. Peter’s Preparatory) hit two home runs and a double and drove in seven runs to lead The University of Scranton to a 15-6 victory over Misericordia University in non-conference action Thursday afternoon at Connell Park.

Senior pitcher Tim Reiser (Marlborough, Conn./RHAM) scattered seven hits and allowed only one earned run to pick up his second victory of the season for Scranton, which was won six straight and 10 of its last 11 games to improve to 11-5. The Royals got on the scoreboard early, when freshman Chris Stallone (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) hit a solo home run—the first of his college career—to lead off the bottom of the first inning.

Junior catcher Brandon Calafut (Carbondale, Pa./Lakeland) hit a three-run home run for the Cougars during a five-run rally in the eighth inning and finished with two hits, as did juniors Michael Murphy (East Moriches, N.Y./Center Moriches) and Chris Messa (Red Bank, N.J./Red Bank Catholic) and senior Keith Davison (Washington, N.J./Warren Hills Regional). Junior Mike D’Amara (Center Moriches, N.Y./Center Moriches) led Misericordia, now 8-13, with three hits.

The Royals extended their early lead to 4-0 in the third inning, when Bligh drove in two runs with a double to center field.

In the fifth, an error by the Cougars proved to be costly, as Scranton scored five unearned runs to break the game open. Freshman Jeff Manahan (Morris Plains, N.J./Morrristown) and senior Steve Melly (Meadowbrook, Pa./Holy Ghost Preparatory) opened with a double and a walk, respectively, and advanced into scoring position on a picture-perfect sacrifice drag bunt by Stallone. After the Cougars made an error with two outs, Scranton converted a successful double-steal for one run and Bligh came through with a home run to left-center field to knock in two more. Sophomore Justin Champagne (Mt. Bethel, Pa./Bangor) followed with a double and later scored on an RBI single by freshman David Giglio (Wallingford, Conn./Xavier).

Defensively, the Royals turned two double-plays with the bases-loaded to turn away a pair of potential scoring opportunities for the Cougars. Misericordia also stranded 11 runners on base.

Bligh’s three hits raised his batting average to .375 and his slugging percentage to .775. Junior Chris Psihoules (Washington Township, N.J./Westwood) drove in a run with his fourth double of the season during a five-run rally in the seventh.

Scranton, which has scored at least eight runs in each game during this current winning streak, will host the Defenders of Baptist Bible College on Friday afternoon beginning at 3:30 p.m. at Connell Park.