Fort Myers, Fla. – The Mount Saint Mary College Baseball team opened play in Florida on Monday with a split against Western Connecticut. Freshman Tom Huvane (Eastchester, N.Y.) homered in an 8-5 game one loss and Ryan Hayes (Robbinsville, N.J.) collected three hits in an 8-7 game two victory.
 
After falling behind 2-0 in Monday's opener on a Bryan Harper home run in the second inning, Mount Saint Mary stormed back with four runs in the top of third to move in front 4-2. Huvane blasted his second home run of the season, a three-run shot, in the frame and Rob Peccerillo (Staten Island, N.Y.) picked up a run scoring single in the inning. Matt Cahill (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) and Blake Keenan (Fishkill, N.Y.) started the rally with a walk and hit by pitch.
 
Western Connecticut got a run closer on a Matt Greene RBI single in the home half of the third, before Cahill gave the Mount back its two run advantage with a sacrifice fly in the fourth that delivered Albert Estwick Jr. (East Elmhurst, N.Y.).
 
Trailing 5-3, the Colonials knotted the score in with two runs in the fifth and picked up the win with three more tallies in the home half of the sixth inning. Nick Delotto pushed home a run with a single in the fifth and the big blow in the sixth was a two-run double from E.J. Lavoie.
 
Mount Saint Mary was held to four hits in Monday's opener with half of those going for extra bases on a Hayes double and Huvane home run. Huvane drove in three runs for the Knights and joined Cahill, Keenan and Hayes with a run scored. Eastwick scored a run and stole a pair of bags for the Knights.
 
The Colonials received a 4-for-4 effort from Lavoie who added three runs and a pair of RBI. Chris Callahan picked up a pair of hits and Harper drove in two runs.
 
Kevin Duffy (Wallingford, Conn.) suffered the loss, working his team leading third complete game of the season. He fanned four batters in the game for the Knights. Edgard Santiago picked up the complete game win for Western Connecticut, striking out 10 in 7.0 innings pitched.
 
The Mount fell behind by a run early in game two, but answered with a run in the home half of the second on a Jasper Bradley (Hampton Bays, N.Y.) single that delivered Hayes to tie the score at a run apiece.
 
The Colonials jumped back in front with three runs in the third, before the Knights exploded for five tallies in the bottom of the frame. Hayes posted a two-run single in the inning and later scored on a two-run double off the bat of Peccerillo. Vincenzo Pepe (Middletown, N.Y.) pushed Peccerillo home with a single to close out the scoring in the inning.
 
Western Connecticut plated two runs in the fourth to tie the score at 6-6 before the Knights regained the advantage in the fifth on another run scoring single from Bradley. The Colonials knotted the score again at 7-7 on a sacrifice fly in the sixth before Hayes chased home the eventual game winning run with a single in the home half of the inning.
 
Hayes closed out a strong day at the plate by going 3-for-3 with two runs and three RBI in game two with Cahill and Bradley each posting two hits. Huvane drew three walks in the game and scored twice with Estwick crossing with a pair of runs.
 
Bill Buscetto finished up 4-for-5 with two doubles and three runs scored for the Colonials with Frank Vartuli driving in five runs.
 
Sean Betterly (East Meadow, N.Y.) picked up the win in relief, allowing one run on two hits in 2.0 innings. Joseph Pillitteri (Wallkill, N.Y.) made the start and allowed four runs in 2.2 innings. Kyle Sanford suffered the loss for the Colonials, allowing two runs on two hits and three walks in 3.0 frames.
 
Monday's split moves Mount Saint Mary to 5-9 overall on the season. The Knights will continue their southern swing on Tuesday with a single game against Keystone. First pitch is scheduled for 9:00 a.m.

Follow the Knights on Twitter@MSMCKnights and on Flickr