PURCHASE, NY – St. Joseph's College men's baseball picked up their third win of the season on Saturday afternoon over Purchase College 9-2 behind a complete game four-hitter from Chris Coffey(Brooklyn, NY/Kingsborough CC).  The Bears fell in extra innings in the second game of the doubleheader, the Panthers scoring three-runs in the bottom seventh to tie the game, and another in the eighth for the 7-6 comeback win.

The Bears never trailed in the opener, taking a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Mario Noriega(Los Angeles, CA/South Pasadena) scored after leading off the inning with a double.  St. Joe's put up a three spot in the third, with a two-run double by Jon Mendez (Brooklyn, NY/Xavarian) proving to be the game winning hit.

Purchase got their only runs off Coffey in the third with the top of the lineup getting three straight hits, including two doubles, cutting the Bears' lead to 4-2.  After that blemish, Coffey kept the Lions hitless for the final four innings.  St. Joseph's added four insurance runs for Coffey in the seventh to help seal the victory.

Coffey struck out five, walking one and improves to 2-2, both complete game wins.

St. Joseph's led for most of game two, behind Chris Davidson(San Carlos, CA/Canada College) on the mound giving up only two earned runs, striking out six through five innings.  Davidson left the game with a 6-3 lead that St. Joe's carried into the seventh inning.  The Panthers scored two runs on three singles off reliever Kevin Hernandez (Queens, NY/Newtown) to pull within one.  Jon Mendez (Brooklyn, NY/Xavarian) was brought in to escape the jam and struck out the first batter to pull within one out of the save, however another hit sent the game into extra innings.

In the extra frame, a costly error allowing the leadoff hitter to reach proved to be the difference.  Purchase got two runners in scoring position with no one out after a hit batsmen and a double steal.  The Panthers ended the game with a walk-off single to complete the comeback and the split.

Mendez (0-1) was credited with the loss, although his lone run was unearned in two-thirds of an inning.

For the two game set, Noriega went 3-for-5 with a double, RBI, run scored and two walks, leading St. Joseph's with a .714 on-base percentage and .800 slugging.  Leadoff hitter A.J. Passione(Brooklyn, NY/Xavarian) went 4-for-7 with a double, stolen base, and four runs.  Davidson extended his hitting streak to four games, going 3-for-7 with two doubles, two runs scored and two batted in.  Joseph Boccia (Westwood, NJ/Westwood) had two hits, with three runs scored and two RBIs.  Mendez and Keith Juricich (San Mateo, CA/Canada College) each had two RBIs. 

St. Joseph's (3-12) game on Sunday against Marywood College was cancelled due to rain.  The Bears travel south on Thursday for a five-game road spring break stand.  They will stop in Virginia for three games against St. Paul's College on Friday and Saturday.  Next stop is Washington, D.C. to face Gallaudet University on Monday and conclude the road trip in Maryland to take on Columbia Union.