Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

TEANECK, N.J. -- The Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team split its doubleheader with New York Tech on a raw Sunday afternoon at the Naimoli Family Baseball Complex. The Bears took the seven-inning opener, 2-1, to claim the series, while the Knights won the nightcap, 10-4. FDU is now 3-9 on the season, and NYIT moves to 2-9 overall.

Sophomore Joe Borelli (Wallingford, Conn./Mark T. Sheehan ) faced the minimum on the mound through the first four innings before running into trouble in the fifth. With one out, Alex Angus put the Bears in front 1-0 with an RBI sacrifice fly to center field.

The Knights stranded a runner on second in the first inning and left the bases loaded in the second before going down in order in over the next three frames.

Borelli was pulled in the sixth inning with one out after giving up a walk and a single. Sophomore Anthony Calise (Pearl River, N.Y./Pearl River) came out of the bullpen, and after issuing a walk to load the bases, allowed an RBI sacrifice fly center field to Ali Rodriguez, which extended the NYIT to 2-0.

In the bottom half of the sixth, sophomore Riley Moonan (Syracuse, N.Y./Cicero North) led off the inning with a triple over the right fielder's head. The next batter, senior Kyle Weeks (Middle Island, N.Y./Longwood), drove home Moonan with an RBI groundout, cutting the deficit to 2-1, but reached base on the play, as the shortstop booted the ball. Weeks eventually reached second base but was left stranded.

After sophomore Yonah Perline (Dix Hills, N.Y./St. Dominic) set the Bears down in order in the top of the seventh, FDU mounted a two-out rally in the bottom half, as sophomores Shane Siebler (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area) and Jordan Ritz (Newport News, Va./Woodside) both singled, while Moonan drew a walk on a full count to load the bases. Weeks then crushed a 3- 1 pitch to deep center field, but it was tracked down by the center fielder to give NYIT the 2-1 victory.

Borelli (0-3) was charged with the tough-luck loss after allowing the only two Bears' hits of the day, both to Bears' lead-off hitter Joe Daru, while allowing two earned runs. The righty walked two and struck out four.

Five different Knights collected one hit on the day, as NYIT starting pitcher James Bulva (1-2) went the distance to pick up the victory. He allowed only one earned run while walking two and striking out seven.

“We lost a tough first game and had the right guy up at the plate with Weeks up in the bottom of the seventh and the bases loaded,” Head Coach Gary Puccio said. “He had a good at bat and hit the ball well but just did not fall in and is nothing to gripe about. I felt we played a good game.”

In the nightcap, FDU starting pitcher Nick Cuono (Hawthorne, N.J./Montvale Saint Joseph ) ran into trouble in the top of the first after loading the bases with one out, but the freshman recorded a strikeout and a line out to left field to end the threat.

The Knights responded in the bottom half of the inning to take a 1-0 lead, as Siebler drew a two-out bases-loaded walk to give FDU the lead before the Knights left the sacks packed to end the frame.

The lead was short-lived, as Cuono ran into more trouble in the top of the second. Three straight hits by the Bears tied the game at one before a two-out, two-run double by Josh Canabal gave NYIT a 3-1 lead.

With the score still 3-1 heading into the bottom of the third, the Knights exploded for eight runs in the inning to take a commanding 9-3 lead. With one out, the Knights loaded the bases, and the merry-go-round started. Freshman Joel Roman (East Hartford, Conn./East Hartford) and sophomore started the scoring with RBI singles before sophomore Jose DeLeon (Paterson, N.J./Eastside) picked up an RBI with a bases-loaded walk. Sophomore Ryan MacDonald (Bethpage, N.Y./Island Trees) and Ritz  then followed with RBI singles.

After DeLeon was thrown out at the plate on Ritz's hit for the second out of the inning, Moonan reached on an error to reload the bases before MacDonald scored on a balk. Weeks capped the scoring with a two-run double to right-center field, plating Ritz and Moonan.

Neither side scored over the next four innings until Roman scored on an error with two outs in the bottom of the eight to extend the lead to 10-3.

The Bears scored a meaningless run in the top of the ninth, but it was not nearly enough, as FDU snapped its eight-game losing streak for the 10-4 victory.

Cuono (2-0) settled in after the first two innings, as he picked up his second victory of the season. He scattered nine hits, allowed three earned runs, walked two and struck out five.

The Knights' offense collected 10 safeties in the game, with MacDonald and Weeks each recording two. MacDonald, Moonan and Weeks each scored twice, while Weeks picked up two RBI.

“We responded with another good game in the second game by playing well and picked up a really nice win” Puccio said. “Nick Cuono (Hawthorne, N.J./Montvale Saint Joseph ) pitched well and did a nice job. We finally had a big inning on offense, and I credit the guys for swinging the bats, especially the bottom of the lineup, for putting the ball in play. That is the key to winning for us. We have a lot to learn and a long way to go, but I think we will be ok.”

NYIT had 10 hits off FDU pitching, with Bryan VanVranken leading the way with a 3-for-3 performance. Canabal and Joseph LaCugna each had two hits, with Canabal driving in a pair of runs.

The Bears threw five pitchers on the day, and starter Jake Axley (0-2) was charged with the loss after being knocked out in the third inning after pitching 2.1 innings and allowing six earned runs on three hits while walking six and striking out two.

The Knights are scheduled to be back in action next weekend with a four-game series at Central Connecticut State to start Northeast Conference play. However, the Knights could play a makeup game with NJIT on Tuesday, March 19 at the Naimoli Family Baseball Complex. Check back to www.fduknights.com for updates.