The Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team split a doubleheader Saturday afternoon versus Garden State and NEC-rival Monmouth in West Long Branch, NJ. The Knights won game one, 10-7, before dropping the nightcap, 6-4. The Knights had a chance to sweep the doubleheader as they held a 3-2 lead in the fifth before Monmouth rallied to earn the split. The Knights are now 15-38 (10-21 NEC) on the season, while the Hawks are 22-24 (15-16 NEC) overall.
After both teams failed to score over the first three innings in game one, both teams got on the board in the fourth. The Knights scored three times in the fourth to take a 3-0 lead. DJ Robinson (Woodbury, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) doubled home fellow classmate Steven LaForge (Garfield, NJ/St. Mary) for the first run. Sophomore Ryan Kresky (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) drove home junior Brian Dillon (Sarasota, FL/Cardinal Mooney) with an RBI groundout for the second run, and sophomore Mike Eliasen (Swedesboro, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) drove home Robinson with a sacrifice fly.
The Hawks cut the lead to 3-2 in the bottom half of the frame as Cal Costanzo delivered an RBI double, and Anthony Lawrence came through with a run-scoring single.
Monmouth tied the game in the fifth on a double play groundout.
In the sixth, the Knights took a 4-3 lead as Eliasen drove home Robinson with a single to left field.
The Knights then exploded for six runs in the seventh to take a 10-3 lead. LaForge started the scoring my driving home freshman Ben Mersky (Hershey, PA/Hershey) with a single. Dillon then drove home sophomore Matt Holsman (Coral Springs, FL/Stoneman Douglas) with a single to center. LaForge scored the third run of the inning on a wild pitch. Robinson then drove home Dillon with a single. Eliasen collected his third RBI of the game by driving home Robinson for a third time on a single to right field. Sophomore JT Sherba (Binghamton, NY/Binghamton) capped the scoring by driving home Kresky with a sacrifice fly.
In the bottom half of the seventh, the Hawks scored four times, but it was not enough as the Knights held on for the 10-7 victory.
Freshman Ashley Bulluck (Hollywood, FL/South Broward) started on the mound for the Knights. He pitched 4.0 innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits. He walked one and struck out five. Freshman Matt Cadigan (Freehold, N.J./Freehold) (1-6) earned his first career victory as he pitched 2.0 innings of relief.
Starter Kyle Breese took the loss on the hill for the Hawks.
Robinson paced the Knights' 12-hit attack by going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBI's. LaForge, Dillon, Eliasen and freshman Jonathan Torres (Miramar, FL/Pine Crest) each collected two hits. LaForge and Dillon each scored two runs, and Eliasen had three RBI's.
Ryan Terry and Owen Stewart each had two hits for Monmouth as they collected 10 hits as a team. Mike Casale and Costanzo each had two RBI's.
In game two, the Knights took an early 1-0 lead as junior Joe Martino (Westbury, NY/W.T. Clarke) scored on Mersky's infield single.
The Knights took a 2-0 lead in the fourth as Martino scored his second run of the game on freshman Eric Anderson (Allendale, N.J./Northern Highlands)'s sacrifice fly.
In the bottom half of the fourth, Stewart tied the game at two with a two-run single.
Robinson gave the Knights a 3-2 lead in the fifth as he drove home Holsman with a single to center field.
Once again, the Hawks were able to tie the game in the bottom half of the frame as Ryan Terry delivered an RBI double.
In the sixth, Monmouth scored three times to take a 6-3 lead.
The Knights were able to score a run in the seventh as Dillon singled home Holsman, but it was not enough as the Hawks were able to hang on for the 6-4 victory.
Eliasen (1-4) took the loss on the hill for the Knights. He gave up six earned runs on nine hits in 5.1 innings of work. He walked two and struck out four.
Pa Light earned the victory for the Hawks as he limited the Knights to three earned runs on five hits. He walked four and struck out five. Neil Harm pitched the seventh to pick up the save.
Holsman and Martino each had two hits and scored two runs to lead the Knights offensively. The Knights only collected seven hits.
Terry, Stewart and Matt McEndy each had two hits for the Hawks, who collected nine hits as a team. Stewart also drove home two runs.
Both teams return to action tomorrow for the series finale in West Long Branch, NJ. The game will be the final game for the Knights in the 2010 campaign. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
