SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team had its best offensive performance of the young season but it was not enough as they were outscored by Savannah State 10-9 in Sunday's series finale.
 
The Knights' (0-3) offense broke out for nine runs on 12 hits, highlighted by Bobby Romano's first home run of the season but the Tigers (3-0) scored in each of the first four innings en route to the victory.
 
Freshman James Sharkey made his collegiate debut on the bump for the Knights and allowed three runs in his 1.2 innings of work.  Six pitchers took to the mound for the Knights, including last year's save leader Ryan Brennan, who pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
 
After starting yesterday's game in right field, Owen Vonesslinger was behind the dish for the Knights on Sunday and tallied a team-high three hits to go along with three runs scored.
 
Romano's homer was of the two-run variety as he plated three runs on the afternoon, while Brennan knocked in a pair with a fifth-inning double.
 
The Knights jumped out to a 2-0 lead in their first at bat with Romano and Evan McDonald knocking in the runs with a pair of sac flies. But Savannah State immediately answered back with two of their own in the home first and then jumped on top with one in the second and four more in the third to stake a 7-2 cushion after three frames.
 
The Tigers' first baseman Turner Davis was a thorn in the side of the Knights all afternoon as he was a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs and two RBI. Davis also added two walks to reach base five times in the victory. His solo homer in the fourth provided the Tigers an 8-2 lead.
 
Trailing by six, the Knights fought back four runs in the fifth. Romano's double started it with his two-run double then Jason Fatzinger smacked a run-scoring double of his own to make it an 8-5. The Knights tacked on one more thanks to a Tigers' miscue.
 
FDU center fielder Brandon Seltzer hustled his way to a run, which made it a one-run game, 8-7. Seltzer singled to center, then stole second and third and later scored on an error.
 
However, the Tigers nabbed some breathing room with a pair in the seventh to take a 10-7 lead.
 
Romano's homer cut the deficit to one again but the Knights were unable to pull even in the ninth despite getting a runner into scoring position.
 
Up next for the Knights is a trip to Davidson, N.C. where they will face Lehigh, UMass Lowell and the host Davidson beginning this Friday, February 24. The Knights take on Lehigh on Friday at 3 p.m. at Davidson's Wilson Field.