May 7, 2006

Box Score

EASTON, PA - The Fairleigh Dickinson University baseball team lost two games at Lafayette College on Sunday, May 7. The Knights (9-34) fell 10-3 in Game One and out-hit their Patriot League foe, 17-8, in a 12-11 loss in the nightcap.

In Game One, FDU plated a pair of runs in the fourth frame to cut the Leopards' (27-23) lead to 5-2. Sophomore third baseman Jovan Santos (Woodhaven, NY/Archbishop Malloy) and freshman catcher Mark Morton (Coral Springs, FL/Grandview Prep) began the inning with back-to-back base knocks. Senior right fielder Ben Cass (/Warwick Valley) - who reached base twice - drove an RBI double to right centerfield to score Santos, followed by a sacrifice fly by junior centerfielder Vincente Medina.

The Knights created a 5-3 contest, after freshman shortstop Jeff Vincent (Murrysville, PA/Franklin Regional) began the fifth with a double and would come around two batters later. However, Lafayette exploded for five runs in the bottom half of the inning.

Freshman lefty John Meadus (Mt. Holly, NJ/Holy Cross) took the loss, working four innings. Freshman right-hander Ben Green (Plainview, NY/JFK Plainview) tossed a scoreless inning of relief.

In the second game - a nine inning contest - freshman left fielder Matt Maher (Peekskill, NY/JFK Catholic) smacked a career-high four hits and scored two runs batting in the lead-off position. Right-handers Stephen Eng (Fresh Meadows, NY/St. Francis Prep) and Adam Vogel (/Harrison) combined for three hits. Eng, a junior, started at second base and posted a multi-hit performance, while his senior counterpart drove in four runs as the designated hitter, highlighted by a bases clearing double in the seventh inning.

Junior centerfielder Chris Grabowski (Brooklyn, NY/Xaverian) notched two hits and two RBI, while Medina collected a pair of hits and scored on three occasions.

The Knights trailed by six runs at one point, rallied for an 8-7 advantage in the seventh, sparked by Vogel's clutch two-bagger. Lafayette responded with five runs in the eighth.

Senior right-handed Rick Franceschi (/Gloucester Catholic) hurled six innings, yielding two earned runs in a no decision.

The Knights host Hofstra University at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 10 at FDU Field.