DAVENPORT, Fla. – Powered by strong efforts in the third and fourth innings, Washington & Jefferson College posted an 8-5 victory over UMass Dartmouth in non-conference action at Northeast Regional Park. The Presidents are now 6-2 overall, while the Corsairs slip to 2-5 on the young season.
The Presidents opened the game's scoring in the first inning as senior shortstop Jacob LaDuca sent the ball over the left field wall for a lead-off homerun against Corsairs starter
AJ Rourke. W&J had a runner on, but Rourke buckled down, getting the final batter to strike out looking to end the frame.
UMass Dartmouth answered in the bottom half of the inning as graduate student first baseman
Joe Muzio singled to right field, advancing to second on an error. Senior designated hitter
Chance Checca stepped up to the plate, sending a double to right center to bring in Muzio and tie the game, 1-1.
After a quiet second inning, the visitors grabbed the lead in the top of the third as sophomore left fielder Paddy Hernjak singled through the left side, going on to steal second soon after. A double by LaDuca to center put runners on second and third, followed by a walk to senior right fielder Drew Garth to load the bases. Rourke got a strikeout, but sophomore first baseman Brian Feldman sent a sac fly to right, bringing home Hernjak for the 2-1 lead. The following play saw Garth steal second, as LaDuca came home to score on the throw for the 3-1 advantage.
Into the fourth inning, the Presidents broke open the game when – with two on – senior catcher Brody Bartenstein grounded out to short, allowing one run to score. Hernjak singled to bring in another run and a sacrifice fly to right from Garth drove in another run, making it a 6-1 game.
Bottom of the inning saw the Corsairs respond as graduate catcher
Matt Tempone led off with a walk. Senior third baseman
Jake San Antonio singled up the middle, while two batters later saw senior right fielder
Scott Cromack draw a walk of his own to load the bases. Junior center fielder
Brett Baker stepped up with two outs on the board, sending a double down the right field line to clear the bases and move the deficit to 6-4.
Into the top of the sixth, W&J tacked on another run with two outs and one on, sophomore outfielder Zac Stern singled through the left side to drive in a run.
The Corsairs attempted a rally in the bottom of the seventh with Checca leading off with a single up the middle. After a quick out, San Antonio singled through the left side to advance the runner. Sophomore shortstop
Cooper Wixon drove a single to right, but Checca was thrown out at home. W&J capitalized on the next batter, keeping the score locked at 7-4 heading into the eighth.
Washington & Jefferson held an 8-4 lead in the ninth when the Corsairs responded. Muzio led off with a double to right center, advancing to third on a ground out from Checca. He went on to score on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to three. San Antonio singled to center, but despite the momentum, the Presidents got the final out on a fielder's choice to end the game.
San Antonio paced the effort for the Corsairs, going 3-for-4 at the plate with a run scored. Checca was 2-for-5 with an RBI, while Muzio was 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Additionally, Baker posted three runs batted in.
Rourke shouldered the loss, allowing six runs on six hits through 4.0 innings with five strikeouts and just one walk allowed. Sophomore right-hander
Dillon Harding pitched 3.0 innings, surrendering one run on three hits with three K's, while sophomore righty
Nick Bartalini went 1.0 innings with one run on one hit allowed. Junior
Geordan Jackson Murphy closed out the game, striking out two batters in the final inning.
UMass Dartmouth is back in action on Thursday back at Northeast Regional Park, taking on Penn State Altoona at 2:30pm.
