The Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team split an NEC doubleheader Saturday afternoon versus Wagner at FDU Field in Teaneck. The Knights rallied from seven runs down in game on to earn a 9-8 victory. In game two, the Knights led 7-5 after five innings before falling 11-9 in game two. Both games were seven innings. The Knights are now 5-19 (4-7 NEC) on the season, while the Seahawks are 11-3 (7-4 NEC) overall.
In game one, the Seahawks scored three times in the first to take an early 3-0 lead. The Knights got on the board in the second when junior Joe Martino (Westbury, NY/W.T. Clarke) scored on freshman Eric Anderson (Allendale, N.J./Northern Highlands)'s groundout.
The Seahawks answered with five runs in the third to take an 8-1 lead. Seth Boyd had a two-run double, Jon Lucas had an RBI single, Jared Gruccio had a sacrifice fly and Gaby Ramirez had an RBI double.
The Knights' bats came to life in the fifth as they scored four times to cut the deficit to 8-5. With the bases loaded, junior Steven LaForge (Garfield, NJ/St. Mary) started the rally with an RBI groundout, scoring sophomore Matt Holsman (Coral Springs, FL/Stoneman Douglas). Sophomore Mike Eliasen (Swedesboro, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) drove in fellow classmate Ryan Kresky (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) with a sacrifice fly. The left fielder dropped the ball, allowing Eliasen to reach first base. Later on in the inning with two outs, junior Scott Morrison (Coral Springs, FL/J.P. Taravella) hit a pinch-hit double to drive in Martino and Eliasen.
In the sixth, the Knights scored two more times to cut the lead to 8-7. Once again the Knights loaded the bases and came through with clutch hits. Eliasen singled home to score Holsman. Martino then scored on Anderson's bases loaded walk.
Down to their final at bat and needing at least one run, Morrison drew a lead-off walk to start the game winning rally. After sophomore JT Sherba (Binghamton, NY/Binghamton) came in as a pinch runner, junior Brian Dillon (Sarasota, FL/Cardinal Mooney) laid down a sacrifice bunt to put Sherba in scoring position. Holsman tied the game at eight as he drove home Sherba with an RBI double. With two outs and Holsman at third base, LaForge came through with the walk-off single to center to give the Knights a 9-8 come from behind victory.
The Knights' bullpen was fantastic over the final four innings. Juniors Chris Theordor (Staten Island, NY/Staten Island Tech), Zach Kisling (Marlboro, NJ/Marlboro Central), and Spencer Kelly (Rockville, MD/The Bullis School) held the Seahawks scoreless and only gave up three hits.
Kelly (1-4) earned the victory as he pitched the final inning. Sophomore Ray Courtney (Bronx, NY/Bronx Science) started the game for the Knights on the hill. He went only 3.0 innings, giving up eight runs, all earned, on eight hits. He walked three and struck out two.
David Rees suffered the loss for the Seahawks.
The Knights' bat woke up as they collected 11 hits. Holsman had a big game as he went 4-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored. LaForge collected three hits and drove in two runs. Eliasen had two hits, two RBI's and scored a run. Morrison also added two RBI's.
Brian Martutartus, Kevin McDonnell, Seth Boyd and Tommy Higgins each had two hits for the Seahawks as they also collected 11 hits. Boyd also had three RBI's.
In game two, Wagner scored once in the first and twice in the third to take a 3-0 lead.
The Knights scored once in the third when junior DJ Robinson (Woodbury, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) scored on Dillon's RBI single. The squad then cut the lead to 3-2 in the fourth on Martino's towering home run to right-center field.
In the fifth inning, the Seahawks extended their lead to 5-2 as Higgins drove in two runs with a single.
The Knights answered in the bottom half of the frame with a big five-spot to take their first lead of the game, 7-5. Holsman drove in the first run of the inning by doubling home Robinson. Dillon then scored on Kresky's RBI groundout. With two outs, LaForge singled home Holsman, and Morrison drove in Martino and LaForge with a two-run single.
However, the lead was short-lived as the Seahawks answered with a six-run sixth inning to take an 11-7 lead. The big blow of the inning was McDonnell's bases-loaded triple.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Knights' comeback bid fell short as they only scored twice. LaForge drove home Kresky with an RBI groundout, and Eliasen drove home freshman Ben Mersky (Hershey, PA/Hershey) with an RBI groundout. That was all the Knights could do as they dropped game two, 11-9.
Freshman Ashley Bulluck (Hollywood, FL/South Broward) started on the hill for the Knights. He went 4.2 innings, giving up five runs, three earned, on eight hits. He only walked one and struck out six. Unlike game one, the bullpen could not hold the lead as Kelly, freshman Craig Warner (Coral Springs, Fla./Stoneman Douglas) and senior Cory Jeffers combined to give up six runs in the sixth inning. Kelly (1-5), who was the game one winner, took the loss on the hill for the Knights.
The Knights' bats stayed hot in game two as they collected 11 hits. Dillon went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run-scored. Holsman had two more hits to finish the day 6-for-8. LaForge and Morrison each had two RBI's, and Martino and Robinson each scored two runs.
Damian Csakai, Martutartus, Vin Avella, Boyd, and Higgins each had two hits for the Seahawks as the team collected 13 hits in all. Csakai and Martutartus each had three stolen bases.
The two teams will play the fourth and final game of the series tomorrow, April 11 at FDU Field in Teaneck. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
