DiRocco Throws 9-0 Complete Game Shutout Over Villanova
3/26/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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By: Kevin Fountain
PLYMOUTH, Pa. – Joe Dirocco (East Hanover, N.J.) led the Pirates to a 9-0 victory as he threw a complete game shutout against the Villanova Wildcats in game two of their three game set. DiRocco allowed only seven hits in his nine innings of shutout work. The Pirates sparked their offense early as senior A.J. Rusbarsky (Freehold, N.J.) lined an RBI double to the right center gap scoring fellow senior Sean Gusrang (Burlington, N.J.) from first base after working a leadoff walk to start the inning. The offense continued to work as Ryan Sullivan (Stony Point, N.Y.) led off the fifth inning with a single to right field before stealing second and advancing to third on a groundout. Sullivan would quickly be driven in on an RBI double to right field by Mike Genovese (Livingston, N.J.). With the help of a passed ball to advance Genovese to third, and a hit-by-pitch to put Will Walsh (New Milford, N.J.) on first base, Sean Gusrang ripped a triple down the left-field line to score both Walsh and Genovese and was soon driven in himself on an RBI single to right center by Giuseppe Papaccio (Nutley, N.J.) to bring the Pirates to a 5-0 lead. The offense remained strong for the next two innings as Frank Esposito (Staten Island, N.Y.) came alive in the top of the seventh when he drove a two RBI double to right center before Sullivan added with another RBI single to center field to bring the Pirates up 9-0. Kyle McMyne (3-3) suffered the loss for the Wildcats as DiRocco received the victory for his solid performance on the mound. The Pirates will conclude their three game series with Villanova tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 12:15pm.
