Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

The Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team picked up a victory and a tie on Saturday afternoon against Lafayette in a doubleheader at the Naimoli Family Baseball Complex in Teaneck, NJ.  The Knights won game one, 6-2, before tying the Leopards in game three, 3-3, which was a scheduled seven-inning contest that went 11 innings and was called due to darkness.  With the victory and tie, FDU improves to 2-5-1 on the season, while Lafayette falls to 4-6-1 overall.

The Knights collected six hits in game one from six different players.  Freshman Jordan Ritz (Newport News, Va./Woodside) collected two RBI's on a triple and scored a run out of the lead-off spot, while junior Eric Anderson (Allendale, N.J./Northern Highlands) hit his team-leading third home run of the season.

Junior Craig Warner (Coral Springs, Fla./Stoneman Douglas) started on the mound for FDU and went 5.0 innings, allowing no runs on only two hits, while striking out three and walking one.  Senior Mike Eliasen (Swedesboro, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) (1-1) picked up the victory as he pitched the final four innings in relief.  He allowed two earned runs on five hits, walked none and struck out seven.

Neither team scored in the first inning, but Anderson's lead-off home run in the second gave the Knights an early 1-0 lead.  FDU had a chance to tack on more runs but left the bases loaded.

After neither team scored over the next three innings, the Leopards tied the game at one in the top of the sixth on a steal of home with two outs on an 0-2 pitch as Eliasen was pitching out of the wind up with runners on second and third.  He was able to get the batter to strike out swinging to end the frame.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Knights exploded for five runs to take a comfortable 6-1 lead.  Freshman Shane Siebler (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area) hit a RBI sacrifice fly to center field to score junior Kyle Weeks (Middle Island, N.Y./Longwood) and give FDU the lead for good.  Ritz then followed with a two-run triple past the diving right fielder to score freshmen Pat McClure (Fayetteville, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius ) and Riley Moonan (Syracuse, N.Y./Cicero North). 

Eliasen then struck out on a ball in the dirt but reached on the wild pitch to keep the inning alive.  Senior Ryan Kresky (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) followed with a routine fly-ball out to right field, but the right fielder dropped it, allowing Ritz to score and Eliasen to advance to third.  Eliasen made the score 6-1 when he scored on a balk.

Lafayette scored a run in the top of the eight on an RBI groundout by Kevin Casey, but it wasn't enough as FDU took game one, 6-2.

Ethan Perro, who started on the hill for the Leopards, was tagged with the loss.  He gave up five runs, four earned, on five hits in 5.2 innings of work.  He walked three, struck out two and hit two batters. 

Andrew Santomauro and Andrew Ruck each had two hits to pace Lafayette's seven-hit attack.

In game two, the Leopards took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on Bobby Fargnoli's two-out double to left-center field.

The Knights answered with two runs in the bottom half of the first to take a 2-1 lead.  FDU loaded the bases with one out before McClure hit an RBI sacrifice fly to center field to score Eliasen and tie the game at one.  Weeks followed with an RBI single up the middle to score Kresky and give FDU the lead.

After neither team scored the next three innings, Lafayette tied the game at two in the top of the fifth on a one-out RBI ground out by Casey.

The Leopards took a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth after the first two batters retired.  Brian Davila walked and advanced to second on an errant throw by FDU pitcher David Marcelino (Englewood, NJ/Paramus Catholic) on a pick-off attempt.  James McCool then singled home Davila to give Lafayette the lead.

Heading into their last at-bat going into the seventh inning and needing a run to tie, Moonan singled up the middle with one out.  Siebler then hit a groundball to second that looked like a potential double play to end the game.  However, Moonan avoided the tag by the second baseman and advance to second base after Siebler was thrown out at first.

With two outs, Ritz hit a chopper to third base and beat the throw by the third basemen.  The throw went past the first basemen allowing Moonan to score and tie the game at three.

The Knights left the winning run stranded at second base in the eighth and ninth innings before going down in order in the last two innings, while the Leopards never got a runner in scoring position in the extra frame.

Eliasen went 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored to pace FDU's 10-hit attack with McClure and Weeks each driving home a run.  Anderson went 3-for-4 with three singles.

Freshman Brendan Butler (W. Sayville, N.Y./Sayville) started on the mound for the Knights and pitched 5.2 innings.  He allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits, while walking four and striking out six.  Freshman Eric Snyder (Slatington, Pa./Northern Lehigh), who came into the game with two outs in the seventh inning, gave FDU a chance as he pitched 3.1 innings of scoreless relief.  He allowed only one hit, struck out two and did not walk a batter.  Freshman Yonah Perline (Dix Hills, N.Y./St. Dominic) pitched the 11th and gave up a single, while striking out two and walking none.

Five Lafayette pitchers combined to allow only three runs, two earned, on 10 hits.  They struck out 12 and walked only one.

Andrew Ruck collected two hits and scored two runs for the Leopards, while Fargnoli and Scott Kelleher each collected two hits.

“We are getting better as game one was a solid win for us,” Head Coach Gary Puccio said.  “Our young pitchers did a great job for us in game two.  We are really coming together as a team, and this is a great sign with all the young guys we have.  It is a good sign that there are good things to come.”

“Today we took another step forward in learning how to win games.  We are starting to find ways to win.”

The Knights will return to action on Tuesday, March 13 when they host Saint Peter's.  First-pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at the Naimoli Family Baseball Complex in Teaneck, NJ.