DAVENPORT, FL –  The Russell Sage College baseball team opened the 2022 season on Saturday as they took on Chatham University in the first varsity game for the team. Playing in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational, the Gators fell in the opener, 11-5 to Chatham (5-1).

Head Coach Nick Pontari's lineup had a strong start as they finished with five hits on the day including a pair of home runs. The first was a three-run shot by rookie infielder Andrew Knapp (Nanuet, NY/Nanuet) to put the Gators on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth inning. Freshman outfielder Diego Jimenez (Monroe, NY/Monroe Woodbury) went deep two batters later to also drive in graduate player, catcher Dillon Maxon (Troy, NY/Tamarac) who walked in the previous plate appearance.

For the game, Knapp was 1 for 4 with a run scored, three RBI's, while Jimenez was also 1 for four with a pair of RBI's.  Freshman outfielder Leandro Guzman (New Britain, CT/New Britain) was 1 for 3 with a double in his first contest played.

Rookie pitcher Michael Karpinski (Ballston Spa, NY/Saratoga Springs) got the nod as the starter and worked four innings in his collegiate debut, yielding six earned runs off eight hits with a pair of strikeouts and three walks. He stands at 0-1 on the young season.

Jaylen Cuevas (Bronx, NY/Fordham Prep), Ethan Basos (Wynantskill, NY/Averill Park), Colby Phelps (Troy, NY/Tamarac), Liam Doyle (West Sayville, NY/Connetquot), and Cameron Anderson (Clifton Park, NY/Burnt Hills) all worked in relief on Saturday. Phelps worked two innings for the Gators and fanned three in his time on the mound.

Looking ahead, RSC plays on March 6 against Lakeland University in a pair of seven innings games commencing at 10 a.m. on the second day of the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.

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