The Fairleigh Dickinson University baseball team lost, 12-10, versus St. John's University, Wednesday, April 29 in Queens, NY. The Knights fell to 10-27 on the year, despite out-hitting their hosts, 20-15.
Red-shirt junior first baseman Zachary Sand (San Diego, CA/Mission Bay) notched five hits and four RBI, while senior outfielder Matt Maher (Peekskill, NY/JFK Catholic) contributed three hits, two RBI, and two stolen bases.
The Red Storm advanced to 25-15 overall.
Maher walked to lead off the game then swiped second. Freshman infielder Matt Holsman (Coral Springs, FL/Stoneman Douglas) laced a single to centerfield, plating Maher. However, SJU appealed that Maher missed third base and the plate umpire negated the run with an out call. Sand dropped a single into left, marking the third-straight Knight to reach, but Fairleigh Dickinson came up empty in the first frame.
Red Storm sophomore designated hitter Paul Karmas and freshman infielder Matt Wessinger
gave their team a 2-0 lead in the bottom half of the first via RBI base hits.
The Knights threatened in the second, loading the bases, but two outs ultimately resulted from strikeouts looking. St. John's plated their third run, coming with two outs, in their at-bats of the inning. And in the third, a sacrifice fly pushed the margin to 4-0.
In the top of the fourth, Maher roped a two-RBI double into right-center field. Holsman laid down a suicide squeeze effort, but late-breaking senior outfielder Jeff Vincent (Murrysville, PA/Franklin Regional) was tagged out at home. Sand added an RBI groundout ? a shot that was plucked on the dive at second ? to cut the deficit to 4-3.
Junior first baseman Tim Morris punctuated a five-run fifth frame by SJU with a two-run two-bagger. The Red Storm banged out five hits in the inning.
FDU did some damage in the sixth inning, striking with two outs. Sand brought around Maher with a single through the left side. Sophomore designated hitter Joe Martino (Westbury, NY/W.T. Clarke) drove in a pair on the strength of a single to centerfield. Freshman infielder Ran Kresky chipped-in an RBI base knock and Head Coach Jerry DeFabbia's squad trailed, 9-7.
In the bottom of the sixth, back-to-back, two-out RBI doubles allowed St. John's to create an 11-7 cushion.
Two Knights got aboard in the seventh, but a failed double steal equated to the first out coming at third base. Holsman plated a run with an RBI groundout, followed by Sand sailing a double to right-centerfield to score another run.
The score was shifted to 12-9 in the bottom of the eighth, as SJU capitalized off a dropped fly and an RBI single courtesy of senior infielder Gino Matias. Sand stroked a single through the left side in the ninth, making it 12-10.
FDU sight-hander Ben Durgan (Boyton Beach, FL/North Broward Prep) got the first starting nod of his collegiate career. The freshman went 2.0 innings and suffered the loss. Sophomore righty Chris Theordor (Staten Island, NY/Staten Island Tech) was touched up for one run through 2.0 innings of relief, while junior southpaw Terry Lydecker (Pompton Lakes, NJ/Pompton Lakes) grinded through 1.0 inning of scoreless relief.
Red Storm junior Miguel Valcarcel logged 3.0 scoreless innings to start the ball game. The righty moved to 1-0. Junior right-hander Ryan Cole earned his fourth save of the season, coming on in the ninth.
Knights' sophomore outfielder Brian Dillon (Sarasota, FL/Cardinal Mooney), freshman infielder Mike Eliasen (Swedesboro, NJ/Gloucester Catholic), Kresky, and senior catcher Vincent Pennachio joined Sand and Maher with multi-hit efforts.
Fairleigh Dickinson travels to New Britain, CT for a four-game, Northeast Conference series with home-standing Central Connecticut State University. First pitch of a nine-inning game, Friday, May 1 is slated for 3:00 p.m.
