The Fairleigh Dickinson University baseball team was shut out, 9-0, by home-standing George Washington University, Sunday, March 8 at Barcroft Field in Arlington, VA. In the nightcap, the Knights (1-4) rallied for a 13-5 victory, amassing seven hits and nine runs in the seventh inning.
In game one, freshman pinch hitter Adrian Artidielo (Miami, FL/Westminster Christian School) registered the Knights' only hit and maintained his 2-for-2 showing in such a role.
Right-hander Pat Lehman hurled a gem for the Colonials (6-7), going the distance. The senior struck out 13 while only facing two batters above the minimum. Artidielo's two-bagger to centerfield came with two outs in the ninth and wrecked Lehman's no-hit bid.
Senior Ben Green (Plainview, NY/JFK Plainview) received the starting nod and produced 4.2 innings of work. The righty yielded one earned run, and six total, in the loss. Classmate Ryan Hennessy (Mahopac, NY/Trinity Pawling), a right-hander, tossed 2.1 innings of scoreless relief, with freshman righty Brian Sprague (Sarasota, FL/Cardinal Mooney) logging a run-free eighth inning.
Colonials' junior infielder Tom Zebroski led off the bottom of the first with a solo home run, and GW went ahead, 2-0, via an unearned run in the fourth frame. A seven-run fifth inning, highlighted by a two-run dinger courtesy of sophomore infielder Brendon Kelliher, put the game out of reach.
In game two, sophomore first baseman Brian Dillon (Sarasota, FL/Cardinal Mooney)'s two-RBI base knock snapped a 4-4 deadlock. Freshman Tristian Keyser (Sicklerville, NJ/Winslow Township) brought in two additional runs, as the third baseman smacked a shot up the middle. Senior outfielder Matt Maher (Peekskill, NY/JFK Catholic) added an RBI single and Holsman garnered an RBI by reaching on a fielder's choice. Junior pinch hitter Patrick Furey (Ponoma, NY/North Rockland) scored a pair with a single through the hole, followed by sophomore outfielder Steven LaForge (Garfield, NJ/St. Mary) capping the nine-run outburst with an RBI single back through the box.
At the outset, senior first baseman Tim Reeves' two-RBI single in the first frame created a 3-0 GW lead.
With two outs in the top of the second inning, freshman infielder Mike Eliasen (Swedesboro, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) singled through the right side amidst FDU cutting its deficit to 3-2. Freshman counterpart Matt Holsman (Coral Springs, FL/Stoneman Douglas) led off the top of the third frame with a base hit and advanced to third following a double to centerfield by red-shirt junior designated hitter Zachary Sand (San Diego, CA/Mission Bay). A sacrifice fly from red-shirt junior catcher Mark Morton (Coral Springs, FL/Grandview Prep) plated Holsman, and knotted things at 3.
In the fifth, Kelliher walked with the sacks full to provide the Colonials a 4-3 edge. However, Maher tied the ball game, 4-4, in the top of the sixth, driving in Dillon.
Holsman, Sand, Keyser, Eliasen, and Maher tallied multi-hit games, with Holsman collecting a season-high three hits. Dillon reached twice.
Freshman right-hander Ray Courtney (Bronx, NY/Bronx Science) made his first collegiate start and turned in 4.1 innings while sitting down four. Conversely, junior righty Ryan LaPointe surrendered two earned runs through 5.1 innings. Both received no decisions.
Sophomore righty Spencer Kelly (Rockville, MD/The Bullis School) provided 1.2 innings of relief and after failing to allow a run picked up the first win of his career. Junior right-hander Corey Jeffers (Woodbine, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) worked the seventh inning.
George Washington senior righty Jimmy Duggan was saddled with the loss.
Fairleigh Dickinson travels to Norfolk, VA to take on Old Dominion University in a four-game set starting Friday, March 13. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m.
