The Fairleigh Dickinson University baseball team played a pair versus the University at Albany, Friday, March 27 at FDU Field in Teaneck, NJ. The Knights (4-11) earned a 2-0 victory in the first contest, but fell, 6-4, in the nightcap.
In the opener, southpaw John Meadus (Mt. Holly, NJ/Holy Cross) (Mt. Holly, NJ) hurled a one-hit shutout. The senior squeezed out of a no out, bases loaded jam in the second inning, en route to logging 7.0 strong innings. Meadus fanned eight batters.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, red-shirt junior right fielder Mark Morton (Coral Springs, FL/Grandview Prep) (Coral Springs, FL) was plunked with the sacks full, giving FDU a 1-0 advantage.
Sophomore first baseman Brian Dillon (Sarasota, FL/Cardinal Mooney) (Sarasota, FL) jacked a solo shot to center in the sixth frame to allot a 2-0 cushion.
Morton and Dillon both reached twice. Meanwhile, Great Danes' senior outfielder David West's (Toms River, NJ) infield single in the third inning represented the visitors' lone hit.
Albany sophomore right-hander Dave Kubiak (Southold, NY) tossed 6.0 innings, allowing three hits and one earned run. He slipped to 0-5 on the year.
In game two, a three-spot in the first frame created a 3-0 advantage for Albany. The Knights made it a one-run ball game in the bottom of the second. Sophomore designated hitter Joe Martino (Westbury, NY/W.T. Clarke) (Westbury, NY) collected an RBI double, backed by an RBI base knock by junior outfielder Patrick Furey (Ponoma, NY/North Rockland) (Ponoma, NY). Furey finished with a multi-hit game.
Things were knotted, 3-3, in the third inning via a line drive dinger to left field by red-shirt infielder Zachary Sand (San Diego, CA/Mission Bay) (San Diego, CA).
Albany capitalized on a trio of fielding errors in the fifth frame to jump ahead, 6-3. The Knights quickly answered with a pair of infield singles. Senior outfielder Matt Maher (Peekskill, NY/JFK Catholic) (Peekskill, NY) swiped a base and the throw landed in centerfield to produce a run form third base.
Freshman right-hander Jonathan Scott (Northvale, NJ/Northern Valley Old Tappan) (Northvale, NJ) relieved in the first inning and hurled 3.1 innings, but suffered the loss. Conversely, freshman righty Austin Chase (East Greenbush, NY) moved to 2-2 on the year after going 4.1 innings. Senior righty Sean Gregory (West Islip, NY) slammed the door with 2.1 innings of hitless ball.
Junior lefty Terry Lydecker (Pompton Lakes, NJ/Pompton Lakes) (Pompton Lakes, NJ) and classmate Corey Jeffers (Woodbine, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) (Woodbine, NJ), a junior, both turned in 1.0 innings of shutout relief.
The Great Danes moved to 3-15 overall.
FDU hosts Albany for a double dip, Saturday, March 28. A nine and seven inning contest will be played, starting at noon.
