Posted: Mar 08, 2026
Scalia’s Walk-Off Homer Sends Baseball Past Mount St. Joseph, 4–3, to Open RussMatt Invitational
Game 1
Game 1
Mt. St. Joseph
(2-4)
3
Saint Joseph (Conn.)
(4-0)
4
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mt. St. Joseph | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
|
Saint Joseph (Conn.) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Senior outfielder Dom Scalia (Northford, Conn.) crushed his first home run of the season—a walk-off solo shot—to lift the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) baseball team to a 4–3 victory over Mount St. Joseph (MSJ) in its opening game of the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational on Sunday at Chain of Lakes Park. The game featured a roughly 90‑minute rain delay in the bottom of the third inning, which ultimately prevented the teams from starting the second game of their originally scheduled doubleheader due to the facility's 10:00 p.m. curfew. With the win, the Blue Jays improved to 4–0 on the season, extending their winning streak to four games, while MSJ dropped to 2–4.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- MSJ opened the scoring with two runs in the top of the third inning on a two‑run single from Austin Buckle.
- USJ answered in the bottom of the fifth when senior infielder JJ Fox (Killingworth, Conn.) singled through the left side, and a throwing error allowed senior outfielder Ryan Quinn (Middletown, Conn.) to score, trimming the deficit to 2–1.
- Later in the inning, sophomore infielder Jack Kane (West Hartford, Conn.) tied the game at 2–2 with a sacrifice fly to center field that brought Fox home.
- MSJ regained the lead in the top of the sixth as Brennan Martin hit a solo home run, putting the Lions back ahead, 3–2.
- USJ responded again in the bottom half of the inning, tying the game at 3–3 when a balk allowed senior outfielder Nelson Rondon (Meriden, Conn.) to score.
- In the bottom of the seventh, Scalia delivered the decisive blow, blasting a walk-off solo home run to secure USJ's fourth straight victory.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Senior right-handed pitcher Brandon Cahill (Meriden, Conn.) earned the complete-game win, improving to 2–0. He scattered six hits and allowed three runs while striking out six across seven innings.
- Scalia led the offense, going 2-for-3 with a walk and the game-winning home run.
- Rondon made a key impact as a pinch runner in the bottom of the sixth, stealing a crucial base that helped set up the game-tying run.
UP NEXT
The Blue Jays continue play at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational on Monday, March 9, taking on Russell Sage College. First pitch is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. at Northeast Regional Park Field 1 in Davenport, Fla.
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