The Fairleigh Dickinson University baseball team took on the University at Albany twice, Saturday, March 28 in Teaneck, NJ. The Knights dropped the opener, 9-6, and fell, 4-2, in the nightcap, en route to slipping to 4-13 on the year.
In the top of the first, senior outfielder David West (Toms River, NJ) squirted a single through the left side. The effort drove in a pair in Albany's (5-15) initial trip to the plate.
Fairleigh Dickinson answered with a four-spot in the bottom portion of the frame. Sophomore designated hitter Joe Martino (Westbury, NY/W.T. Clarke) (Westbury, NY) stroked an RBI base knock through the left side and freshman infielder Mike Eliasen (Swedesboro, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) (Swedesboro, NJ) settled for an RBI infield single after a great defensive play by the Great Danes' shortstop. Freshman catcher Scott Morrison (Coral Springs, FL/J.P. Taravella) (Coral Springs, FL) walked with the bases juiced and freshman infielder Ryan Kresky (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) (Freehold, NJ) slapped a chopper to collect an RBI.
In the fourth frame, Albany senior outfielder Gary Pitcheralle (Mechanicsville, NY) flamed a base hit through the right side to plate two and knot the game at four. The visitors held command, 5-4, by the inning's end.
The Great Danes tacked on three more in the fifth to open up a four-run margin, as two student-athletes poked sacrifice flies to left field.
FDU sliced the deficit to 8-6 in the seventh, as Eliasen and red-shirt junior catcher Mark Morton (Coral Springs, FL/Grandview Prep) (Coral Springs, FL) each notched singles to bring around a run. But a two-bagger in the ninth courtesy of West pushed it to a 9-6 contest. West registered three hits and three RBI in the game.
Junior right-hander Nicholas Melchiorre (Mt. Laurel, NJ) got the starting nod and hurled 4.0 innings, but took the loss. Sophomore righty Chris Theordor (Staten Island, NY/Staten Island Tech) (Staten Island, NY) provided 3.0 innings of relief, sitting down a career-high six batters.
Freshman righty Zach Kraham (Chatham, NY) turned in 5.0 innings, while fanning six, to pick up the win. For the second-straight game, senior right-hander Sean Gregory (West Islip, NY) stepped up as Albany's stopper and tossed 1.2 hitless innings. Senior righty Francois Beaulieu (Levis, Quebec) recorded the game's final out.
Sophomore first baseman Brian Dillon (Sarasota, FL/Cardinal Mooney) (Sarasota, FL), Martino, Eliasen, and Kresky finished with multi-hit showings. Martino paced the line-up with a career-best three hits, with Eliasen's two RBI marking a season best.
Albany junior outfielder Brendan Rowland (Albany, NY) ushered in game two with a two-out solo shot to left field. However, Martino returned the favor in the bottom of the second inning, smashing a liner over the centerfield fence.
In the third inning, sophomore infielder Kyle Crean (Miller Place, NY) made it 2-1 in favor of the Great Danes, on the strength of an RBI single through the hole. The following frame, an unearned run amounted to a 3-1 hole for FDU.
Freshman infielder Adam Cutspec (Fort Plains, NY) singled in the sixth, amidst making the score 4-1. Eliasen deposited a drive into the right-centerfield gap to bring the score to 4-2 with no outs in the seventh, yet once again, Gregory put out the fire.
Senior right-hander Ben Green (Plainview, NY/JFK Plainview) (Plainview, NY) worked 5.2 innings, allowed three earned runs, and was saddled with the loss. Sophomore righty Spencer Kelly (Rockville, MD/The Bullis School) (Rockville, MD) took care of the remaining 1.1 innings.
Great Danes' senior righty Josh Willimott (East Greenbush, NY) threw 5.0 innings to earn his first victory of the season. Senior lefty Dave Noble (Bronx, NY) also logged an inning. Gregory picked up his second save of the season, hurling the final frame.
Holsman and Martino both got aboard on two occasions. Conversely, Rowland and junior infielder Pete Eichner (Pine Bush, NY) posted two hits a piece. Rowland reached three times.
Fairleigh Dickinson heads to Seton Hall University at 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 1.
