The Fairleigh Dickinson University baseball team took both games, Sunday, April 5 against Sacred Heart University in Bridgeport, CT. The Knights (8-14 overall, 3-1 Northeast Conference) took game one, 9-4, then in the nightcap FDU came from behind to collect an 8-4 victory.
A sacrifice fly in the opener created a 1-0 advantage for Sacred Heart (9-15-1 overall, 1-3 NEC) after one inning. The Knights rebutted with a four-spot ? a byproduct of a two-out rally and a home-standing fielding miscue ? in the second inning. Senior outfielder Jeff Vincent (Murrysville, PA/Franklin Regional) accounted for most of the damage, lifting a three-run home run down the right field line.
Red-shirt junior designated hitter Zachary Sand (San Diego, CA/Mission Bay) and freshman infielder Matt Holsman (Coral Springs, FL/Stoneman Douglas) pushed the margin to 6-1 on the strength of RBI base knocks in the fifth frame. In the bottom portion of the inning, the Pioneers cut their deficit to 6-4, capitalizing on four hits and two errors.
In the top of the sixth, Fairleigh Dickinson opened up a five-run cushion, plating three runs. Sand knocked in two with a single to right field. Sophomore first baseman Brian Dillon (Sarasota, FL/Cardinal Mooney) added an RBI via a fielder's choice.
Freshman right-hander Jonathan Scott (Northvale, NJ/Northern Valley Old Tappan) made his first collegiate start and toed the rubber for 4.0 innings, en route to securing the victory. Conversely, junior southpaw Jared Balbach tossed 5.1 innings for Sacred Heart, allowing one earned run.
Junior lefty Terry Lydecker (Pompton Lakes, NJ/Pompton Lakes) logged 1.1 scoreless innings of relief, with sophomore right-hander Spencer Kelly (Rockville, MD/The Bullis School) working a hitless seventh inning.
Vincent ? who got aboard on four occasions ? ignited the line-up with three hits. Sand and Holsman added two-hit showings, while freshman infielder Mike Eliasen (Swedesboro, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) chipped-in a hit and a walk.
In game two, the Knights staged a late rally, as five players crossed the dish in the seventh inning. With two men on, Sand tripled to highlight the outburst.
Nicholas Melchiorre hurled 8.1 innings. The righty picked up the first win of his junior campaign. Kelly registered the contest's final two outs.
An RBI groundout from Sand gave FDU a 1-0 edge in the first inning. SHU senior outfielder Ryan Lynch returned the favor in the bottom half of the inning to knot things at one.
In the third inning, senior catcher Jeff Heppner roped a double to the centerfield fence, bringing around a pair of runs. An inning later, an unearned run equated to a 4-1 Pioneers lead after four frames.
After FDU's big inning in the seventh, Head Coach Jerry DeFabbia's squad tacked on an insurance run in the eighth to extend the margin to 7-4. They followed suit in the ninth, with Holsman slapping an RBI single.
Junior southpaw Corey Corcoran worked 6.0 strong innings yet received a no decision. Freshman right-hander Mike Olszyk yielded five unearned runs and was subsequently saddled with the loss.
Sand finished with three RBI, while Dillon notched four hits. Senior outfielder Matt Maher (Peekskill, NY/JFK Catholic) contributed a pair of hits, as did red-shirt junior outfielder Mark Morton (Coral Springs, FL/Grandview Prep).
The Knights host Monmouth University at 3:00 p.m., Thursday, April 9 at FDU Field in Teaneck, NJ.
