Box Score MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Junior Corey Zientek (Sugarloaf, Pa./Hazleton Area) matched the single-game program record with seven RBI and junior right-hander Thomas Plunkett (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck) tossed six shutout innings as The University of Scranton baseball team (6-4) notched a dominant 16-0 victory over New England College (1-2) on Wednesday afternoon in Myrtle Beach.
Zientek is the seventh player in program history to drive in seven runs in a game and the first since Michael Trabulsi accomplished the feat in a win over Clarks Summit on Apr. 19, 2012. The Sugarloaf, Pa., native also registered his 100th career hit on Wednesday, reaching the milestone in just 72 career games.
Scranton immediately got on the board in the home half of the first as senior Nick Reposa (Factoryville, Pa./Tunkhannock) led off with a single, stole second, took third on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI single from junior Pat Coyne (Randolph, N.J./Morristown-Beard). Reposa then knocked in a pair of runs with a two-run double in the second and Zientek followed with an RBI single for a 4-0 lead after two innings.
In the bottom of the fourth, Zientek and Coyne each once again came through with RBI singles and Zientek added a three-run blast in the sixth inning as Scranton extended the advantage to 9-0.
On the bump for the Royals, Plunkett scattered just three hits and fanned four to earn his first win of the young season. The six inning gem is tied for the second longest outing of his career and his longest since also firing six innings in a victory over Susquehanna on May 4, 2021.
Junior lefty Matt Roda (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North) and junior right-handers Ryan Walsh (Rockville Centre, N.Y./Chaminade) and Anthony Marotta (Whitestone, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) all followed Plunkett with a scoreless inning in relief to preserve the shutout.
Alex Perez was dealt the loss for New England College after giving up six runs on 11 hits to go along with a walk and three strikeouts in five innings of work.
The Royals tacked on five more runs in the seventh as junior Aidan Plick (Cranford, N.J./Cranford) delivered the big blow in the inning with a three-run shot. From there, Zientek went on to plate his sixth and seventh runs of the day with a two-run single in the eighth inning that completed the scoring.
Zientek also matched his career-high with four hits in the win and stole two bases to go along with three runs scored, while Reposa was 3-4 with a double, two RBI, stolen base and three runs scored. Coyne, senior Braden Breithaupt (Canadensis, Pa./Stroudsburg), graduate student Dan Crossan (Media, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) and sophomore Jake Elston (New Milford, Conn./Canterbury School) all registered two hits apiece for Scranton.
Head coach Mike Bartoletti's program will close out the Spring Break trip on Tuesday morning against Mt. Aloysius with first pitch set for 10 a.m.
--ROYALS--
