The Fairleigh Dickinson University baseball team advanced to 5-13 on the year, following a 7-5 decision over home-standing Seton Hall University, Wednesday April 1 in South Orange, NJ. Junior right-hander Michael Strachman (Roslyn Heights, NY/Roslyn) made his second start of the season and hurled a career-best 6.0 innings to earn the win.
Strachman sat down three in his second-straight start, and limited Seton Hall to one hit over his final four frames of work. The victory marked FDU's first victory versus SHU since 1996 ? a 15-14 contest.
Pirates' (13-10) senior catcher Chris Affinito led off the second inning with a solo homer, then sophomore infielder Sean Gusrang added an RBI triple. A sacrifice fly pushed it to a 3-0 SHU lead after two innings of action.
Freshman infielder Matt Holsman (Coral Springs, FL/Stoneman Douglas) roped a double to start a two-out rally in the third inning. Two batters later, senior outfielder Matt Maher (Peekskill, NY/JFK Catholic) stroked an RBI single to left field. Sophomore first baseman Brian Dillon (Sarasota, FL/Cardinal Mooney) pulled a base hit into right field, bringing around a pair. Freshman infielder Ryan Kresky (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) scored on a wild pitch, affording the Knights a 4-3 edge.
In the fifth frame, the Knights made it 5-3 when Maher worked a walk and later scored on a single courtesy of Kresky. Two innings later, Kresky did more damage ? smacking a two-bagger to left that produced two additional runs.
Gusrang laced a single to centerfield in the bottom of the eighth inning, cutting the Big East team's deficit to 7-5. Four student-athletes accounted for the Pirates' seven hits, with three players swatting two a piece.
Four FDU relievers combined to close out the ball game. Sophomore righty Spencer Kelly (Rockville, MD/The Bullis School) hit the mound with two outs in the eighth, en route to registering his second save in as many chances (1.1 scoreless innings). Meanwhile, SHU freshman right-hander Javi Torres took the loss for Seton Hall, logging 2.2 innings of work.
Kresky finished with multiple hits, while Maher scoring a trio of runs. The Pirates committed five errors on the afternoon.
Fairleigh Dickinson heads to Fairfield, CT to make its Northeast Conference debut at 3:00 p.m., Friday, April 3 against Sacred Heart University.
