WORCESTER, Mass. – Junior right-handed pitcher
Danny Macchiarola threw a complete game while senior second baseman
Brendan Jones hit a pair of home runs as the No. 1-seeded Holy Cross baseball team rolled to a 12-1 win over No. 3-seeded Army West Point in the opening game of the 2025 Patriot League Championship Series on Sunday afternoon at Fitton Field.
The win moves the Crusaders to 30-23 on the season and it marks the fourth time overall and first time since 2016 that the program has posted 30 wins. The six-time defending champion Black Knights fall to 25-24 on the year and face elimination from the best-of-three series when it continues on Monday, May 19. Admission is free for the matchup, with first pitch set for 6 p.m.
Macchiarola tossed 114 pitches in the nine-inning gem which was the first time he hurled a nine-inning complete game in his career. The team captain scattered seven hits and a pair of walks allowing one earned run while striking out six batters to earn his ninth win of the year. In two Patriot League tournament starts, Macchiarola is 2-0 with a 0.53 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, and 18 strikeouts across 17.0 innings, holding opponents to a .222 batting average.
Jones' multi-homer effort was the first of his collegiate career as he doubled his career home run total in the game. He was 2-for-4 in the game with three RBI, three runs scored and a walk. His classmate,
Chris Baillargeon, posted his team-best 24th multi-hit game of the season and second 4+ hit showing. He was 4-for-5 with a home run, two doubles, three RBI and three runs scored. The first baseman is slashing .526/.615/.789 for a 1.404 OPS against Army in 2025.
In the bottom of the fourth, senior
Connor Peek lofted a sacrifice fly which established a new single-season team record with 341 RBI. Holy Cross has outscored their opponents 43-to-17 in the Patriot League tournament averaging 10.8 runs a game.
STARTING ON THE MOUND:
- Junior Danny Macchiarola: (W, 9-4), complete game, seven hits allowed, one earned runs, two walks, six strikeouts.
- Andrew Berg: (L, 5-3), 3.0 innings pitched, eight hits allowed, eight runs – seven earned, two walks, one strikeout.
OUT OF THE BULLPEN:
- Kaden Youmans: 5.0 innings pitched, seven hits allowed, four earned runs two walks, three strikeouts.
STEPPING TO THE PLATE:
- Chris Baillargeon: 4-for-5, home run, two doubles, three RBI, three runs scored.
- Brendan Jones: 2-for-4, two home runs, three RBI, three runs scored, walk.
- Senior Jimmy King: 2-for-3, two runs scored, walk, stolen base.
- Senior Sean Scanlon: 2-for-3, RBI, run scored, two walks, stolen base.
- Junior CJ Egrie: 2-for-5, double, two RBI, run scored.
- Justin Lehman: 3-for-4, double, run scored.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- With two outs in the first, Baillargeon doubled to deep center. He scored from second base when sophomore Gianni Royer drilled a single to left field for the 1-0 Crusader lead.
- In the second, Peek began the frame with a single up the middle. Jones then demolished a 2-2 offering off the scoreboard in right center field for the 3-0 Holy Cross lead. In the same frame, Baillargeon smacked a two-out, two-run tater over the right-center field fence to increase the lead to 5-0.
- Three more runs in the third, highlighted by an Egrie two-run double down the left field line, increased the margin to 8-0.
- Army cracked the scoring column with an RBI groundout in the top of the fourth.
- Scanlon served an RBI single to left field, upping the margin to 10-1 though six frames.
- Jones' second homer in the seventh and Baillargeon's third extra base hit of the game moved the Crusaders ahead 12-1.
POSTGAME THOUGHTS:
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