Vokulich Gem Leads Violets to Fifth Straight Win

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gonyuathletics.com

A pair of home runs from Adrian Spitz led the offensive barrage for the Violets in a blowout win over John Jay College on Tuesday.

Michael Thompson, Sports Editor

It’s been a cold, wet week for the baseball team after a handful of rainouts, but the Violets stayed hot on Tuesday, winning their fifth straight to push themselves closer to the .500 mark. Junior outfielder Adrian Spitz’s two home runs and a gem from sophomore Michael Vokulich helped keep John Jay College to just one hit, leading an overwhelming barrage for a 12-1 win in Coney Island on Tuesday.

Spitz didn’t take long to heat up. After freshman outfielder Jack Walter reached on a throwing error and freshman infielder McLaughlin walked, Spitz put the Violets on the board with a three-run homer in the first. The Violets tacked on two more runs in the first, courtesy of an RBI single from sophomore infielder Jonathan Iaione and a sacrifice fly from senior catcher CJ Picerni.

Spitz put his fourth RBI in the books in the second inning with his second home run of the game. After a mid-game lull, the bats came alive again and the Violets tacked on three runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. Iaione got his second and third RBIs of the day when he doubled home freshman infielder Colman Hendershot and sophomore shortstop Jake Smith. Sophomore Christian Bloom took a different approach — he successfully placed down a bunt to score Iaione with a squeeze play. It was more of the same the next inning, as eight Violets made it on base in a row, although errors and strange fielding decisions eventually brought the necessary three outs for John Jay. Hendershot tacked on another run with an RBI single, and Picerni walked with the bases loaded to score another. The final run of the day come on an uneventful fielder’s choice, but the damage had been done.

Vokulich (1-3) earned his first win of the year, dominating John Jay with seven innings of one-hit ball, his only earned run coming on a wild pitch. The bullpen followed suit. Sophomore Matthew Wells and freshman Eli Edwards combined two shutout innings to ensure the win for the Violets.

“It felt great to be back out on the field today,” Spitz said. “As a team our bats have been heating up over the last couple of games. As long as everyone keeps playing their part the wins will keep coming.”

Now 11-13 on the season with roughly a month to play, the Violets are back in action in Coney Island today against Maritime College.

Email Michael Thompson at [email protected].