LITTLE FALLS, N.J. – The Bears (4-23, 2-12) split with Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) rival Caldwell College (8-21, 5-9) in a conference double-header Thursday at Yogi Berra Stadium. A great performance on the mound by Francesco Scudiero (Brooklyn, N.Y.) gave Bloomfield a 4-1 win in game one while a couple of homeruns gave the Cougars a 13-5 game two victory.
 
Scudiero continued a stellar senior season, pitching eight innings of one run ball while striking out nine. The Bears ace picked up his third victory and dropped his earned run average (era) to 1.84.
 
Bloomfield's offense struck early scoring three runs in the bottom of the first taking a 3-0 lead. Senior, Juan Hilario (Bronx, N.Y.) drove in two with a double to center plating Isaac Pichardo (Passaic, N.J.) and Brandon Morales (Hialeah, F.L). Freshman, Harry Montero (Millville, N.J.) who went going 2-for-4 in game one, brought Hilario home with a double of his own to right field.
 
The Cougars pushed across a run off Scudiero in the fifth making it 3-1 but the Bears answered right back in the bottom half of the inning when freshman, Juan Reina (Paterson, N.J.) drove in Pichardo with a sacrifice fly to center making it 4-1.
 
Reina went 2-for-3 with an RBI while his freshman battery mate Pichardo, went 3-for-5 on the day.
 
The three run lead was more than enough for Bloomfield. After eight great innings from Scudiero, Kyle Murzyn (Glassboro, N.J.) entered in the ninth to close the game out.
 
In game two the Cougars' bats came alive. Caldwell led 6-1 after three innings thanks to a three run homer by their designated hitter, Anthony Caruso. The Bears run came in the bottom half of the first on a Hilario single to left that brought home Reina.
 
Shortly after the three-run jack, Bloomfield's freshman starter, Steven Acosta (Lakewood, N.J.) was taken out of the game after three innings of work due to a blister on his right hand. Freshman Isaiah Arroyo (Tampa, F.L.) came on in relief and pitched four innings allowing two earned runs.
Down 6-1 in the fourth, Anthony Lantigua (Bellville, N.J.) hit an RBI double to left center that drove in Ben Thomas (Burlington, N.J.) and cut the deficit to 6-2.
 
That lead was extended to 8-2 before the Bears cut into it in the seventh. Lantigua scored on a wild pitch and Reina drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to right that made it 8-4.
 
Ellis Sanchez came in to pitch in the top half of the eighth surrendering a run and loading the bases with one out before being pulled from the game. Senior, Mark Reyes (Bronx, N.Y.) came on in relief, but after fanning the first batter he faced, Kevin Goldman took the first pitch he saw and put it over the left field wall for a grand slam that gave the Cougars a 13-4 lead.
 
The Bears scored a run in the eighth on a Lantigua sacrifice fly but were unable to pull off a come from behind victory. Montero went 3-for-5 in game two, and went 5-for-9 on the day. Pichardo also had a great day at the plate going 4-for-8.
 
Bloomfield returns to action this Saturday against Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) rival Dominican College in a double-header at Yogi Berra Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for Noon.
 
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(story written by Mark Reyes - Sports Information Department intern)