Box Score

TEANECK, N.J. -- The Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team was defeated in its home opener by New York Tech in seven innings, 6-2, Saturday afternoon at a cold and snowy Naimoli Family Baseball Complex. With the victory, the Bears improve to 1-8 on the season, while the Knights fall to 2-8 overall.

Because of the weather conditions, the second game has been moved to Sunday and will become a doubleheader (7/9 innings) beginning at 11:30 a.m.

Over the first two innings of play, neither side scored until NYIT scored a pair of runs in the top of the third to take a 2-0 lead. Sophomore starter Brendan Butler (W. Sayville, N.Y./Sayville) was cruising, with four strikeouts in the first two frames, before running into control issues. The righty walked five in the inning, including a pair with the bases loaded, which gave the Bears the lead.

With NJIT still leading 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth, FDU loaded the bases with one out, and sophomore Brett Bittiger (Saylorsburg, Pa./Pius X) drove home senior Eric Anderson (Allendale, N.J./Northern Highlands) with an RBI sacrifice fly to right field to cut the deficit to 2-1. Sophomore Jordan Ritz (Newport News, Va./Woodside) then drew a walk to reload the bases, but FDU was unable to do any more damage.

The visitors put together a rally after the first two batters got out in the top of the fifth, resulting in Butler being replaced by senior southpaw Matt Cadigan (Freehold, N.J./Freehold). The Bears' Michael Fermin hit the first pitch from Cadigan for an RBI single through to ride side to extend NYIT's lead back to two at 3-1.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Knights got the run back, as freshman Ryan McGrath (Lansingburgh, N.Y./Lansingburgh) doubled home senior Kyle Weeks (Middle Island, N.Y./Longwood) with two outs to make it 3-2, but McGrath was left stranded at second base.

The Bears put the game away in the top of the sixth with three runs, with the last two being unearned, as they scored on a pair of errors. FDU was unable to put any together over its final two at bats, allowing NYIT to earn its first victory of the season.

Butler (1-2) only allowed two hits in 4.2 innings of work, but he issued six walks, resulting in three earned runs, but did tie a career high with six strikeouts.

Cadigan was charged with two runs, one earned, in 0.2 innings, while sophomore Anthony Calise (Pearl River, N.Y./Pearl River) allowed one unearned run over the final 1.2 innings. The trio combined to only allow four hits on the day but issued nine walks.

The offense managed only five hits, with McGrath leading the way with two safeties and an RBI.

“Our young kids are struggling on the learning curve, and this is hurting us,” Head Coach Gary Puccio said. “Obviously, you cannot walk nine guys in a ball game. I don't care who you are playing, you are not going to win.”

Fermin collected two of the Bears' four hits and drove in a pair, while Joe Daru scored two runs.

On the mound, starter Jose Checo (1-2) picked up the victory after allowing two earned runs on four hits while walking four and striking out two. The NYIT bullpen allowed only one hit over the final 2.1 innings.

As mentioned before, the two sides will conclude their three-game series on Sunday with a doubleheader beginning at 11:30 a.m. Game one will be seven innings, while the nightcap will be a nine-inning contest.