Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

EMMITSBURG, Md. -- The Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team earned a split in its seven-inning Northeast Conference doubleheader on Saturday against Mount St. Mary's at Straw Family Stadium. The Knights dropped the first contest, 17-0, before coming back to win the nightcap, 10-4. With the split, FDU is now 10-28 (5-18 NEC) on the season, while the Mountaineers are 9-26 (4-15 NEC) overall.

MSM scored two runs in the bottom of the first before exploding for seven runs in the bottom of the second to take a 9-0 lead. The Mount then scored a single run in the third, a pair in the fourth and five more in the fifth to cap its scoring in the game.

The Knights managed only five hits and were charged with three errors on defense. The visitors were also troubled by eight walks while allowing 19 hits.

Freshman Dylan Sprague (Brunswick, N.Y./Averill Park) collected two hits for FDU, and four different pitchers saw action, with senior Matt Cadigan (Freehold, N.J./Freehold) (1-2) taking the loss after lasting only 1.1 innings.

Game two did not start out promising for the Knights after they went down 2-0 in the bottom of the first. However, FDU responded with six runs in the top of the second to take a 6-2 lead.

With runners on second and third and one out, sophomore Jose DeLeon (Paterson, N.J./Eastside) drove home freshman Joel Roman (East Hartford, Conn./East Hartford) with an RBI single to center field for the first run. Sophomore Riley Moonan (Syracuse, N.Y./Cicero North) followed with an RBI double to left field to score fellow classmate Ryan MacDonald (Bethpage, N.Y./Island Trees) and tie the game, while DeLeon gave the Knights the lead when he scored the third run on sophomore Jordan Ritz (Newport News, Va./Woodside)'s RBI single through the left side.

After Moonan scored on freshman Ryan McGrath (Lansingburgh, N.Y./Lansingburgh)'s RBI single to center field, Ritz stole second and scored on freshman John Giakas (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville)' RBI double to left-center field. Giakas then capped the scoring when he scored on senior Eric Anderson (Allendale, N.J./Northern Highlands)'s RBI single to right-center field.

MSM got a run back in the bottom of the second to cut the FDU lead to 6-3. After neither side scored over the next two innings, Moonan drove home DeLeon with an RBI single with two outs in the fifth for a 7-3 lead.

The Mount once again answered with a run in the bottom of the fifth to cut the lead back to three at 7-4, but the Knights put the game away in the top of the seventh with a three-spot to take a healthy 10-4 lead.

Roman and MacDonald scored on a play that consisted of two errors before Moonan scored on a wild pitch, clinching the contest for FDU and giving the Knights a much-needed split.

Sophomore Brendan Butler (W. Sayville, N.Y./Sayville) (3-6) earned the victory and now has two wins over his last two starts. The 6-3 righty went the distance, scattering eight hits, walking three and striking out four while allowing four earned runs.

FDU pounded out 14 hits and took advantage of three MSM errors. Eight of the nine starters collected at least one hit, with Roman leading the way by going 3-for-4 with a double and two runs. Moonan added two hits, two runs and two RBI, while Ritz, Giakas and
Anderson each picked up two safeties and one RBI.

The two sides will return to action on Sunday when they conclude the four-game set with the series finale at 1 p.m.