Box Score

SAVANNAH, Ga. -- The Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team opened its 2013 season with a 6-0 loss to Savannah State on Friday night at Tiger Field. With the victory, the Tigers improve to 7-1 on the season, while the Knights fall to 0-1.
 
SSU scored an unearned run in the bottom of the first on a two-out single off FDU starter Craig Warner (Coral Springs, Fla./Stoneman Douglas) (0-1) to take a 1-0 lead.
 
The Tigers added one more run in the bottom of the fourth on a fielder's choice to extend their lead to 2-0.
 
The home team then broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth, as they hung a crooked number on the scoreboard, stringing together three straight hits with one out, resulting in four runs.
 
The Knights had runners in scoring position in the first, second, fifth and seventh innings but could not muster a run. Sophomore Jordan Ritz (Newport News, Va./Woodside) reach third base with two outs, after drawing a walk to start the game, and fellow classmate Shane Siebler (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area) led off the second inning with a triple but ran into an out after trying to steal home.
 
Warner was tagged with the loss, as he allowed four runs, three earned, on seven hits in 4.1 innings of work. The senior walked one and struck out three.
 
SSU's Kyle McGowin stifled FDU's bats, as he struck out 10 and walked only two over 7.0 innings to earn the victory. The Knights managed only six hits on the night, with senior Kyle Weeks (Middle Island, N.Y./Longwood) going 3-for-4 and Siebler collecting two hits in four at-bats.
 
FDU uncharacteristically committed three errors in the field, and the Tigers pounded out 12 hits off Knights' pitching, as four players collected two hits apiece.
 
“Last season, our freshmen attached to the learning curve very early,” Head Coach Gary Puccio said. “Tonight, unfortunately, the freshmen's learning curve was not very good, but I am confident they will come around.”
 
FDU will return to action on Saturday with a pair of games at Tiger Field. The Knights will take on Norfolk State at noon before facing SSU in a rematch at 6 p.m.