Box Score
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Despite posting an early lead, the Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team began the 2018 season with an 11-6 setback to Middle Tennessee State at Reese Smith Jr. Field on Friday evening.
Making his collegiate debut, freshman right-hander
Trent Valentine gave the Knights (0-1) a solid three innings of work allowing three unearned runs and two hits, while striking out three.
Senior right fielder
Jason Fatzinger's 2018 campaign got off to a strong start as he smacked his first home run of the season as part of a 2-for-2 afternoon that included a pair of RBIs.
After batting .299 in his first go around with the Knights, sophomore designated hitter
Owen VonEsslinger continued his offensive prowess in Friday's opener, finishing 2-for-4 with a pair of runs and a pair of RBIs.
Before throwing his first pitch of the season, Valentine was spotted with a three-run lead as the Knights leapt out of the gates in the top half of the first. With one away, freshman third baseman
Peter Theodorellis drew a walk and senior shortstop promptly delivered a double in his first at bat of the campaign.
A batter later, VonEsslinger plated Theodorellis and Romano with a double into the right-center field gap. The next batter, Fatzinger, knocked home VonEsslinger and gave the Knights the early 3-0 lead.
After seeing the first two men reach in the home first, Valentine settled in and stranded both runners in scoring position by recording his first strikeout and inducing a two-out popup.
In the bottom of the second, the Blue Raiders (4-1) would break into the scoring column with some help from the Knights' defense. With two on and two away, Theodorellis made an errant throw on a would-be inning-ending groundout that allowed two to score. The next batter, Miles Christian, tripled off of the right-field wall to tie the game at 3-3. Christian was a thorn in the Knights' side all day as his plate discipline resulted in five walks to along with his one knock in the contest.
Fatzinger would temporarily put the Knights back in front by launching his first long ball of the season – a solo shot in the top of the fourth, however, the Blue Raiders immediately tied the game again with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning.
The Knights would move in front 5-4 in the top of the fifth thanks to some crafty base running by Theodorellis and
Brandon Seltzer. The duo executed a double steal, which forced an error and allowed Seltzer to come up with the Knights' fifth tally.
Once again, the Blue Raiders had the answer as they immediately retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth with a pair of run-scoring singles and a wild pitch to net a 7-4 lead.
The home team refused to relinquish the lead again as they tacked on an unearned run in the sixth, one in the seven and a pair in the eighth to claim the victory.
In addition to Valentine, classmates
Evan Raiburn,
Austin Crebs and
Dom Spinoso also made their collegiate debuts in relief for the Knights before senior right-hander
Dillon Forsythe provided a scoreless frame. Raiburn was the pitcher of record finishing with 1.1 innings and permitting three earned, while striking out two. AJ Spencer (1-0) picked up the win for Middle Tennesee by pitching 1.2 innings in relief of starter Jake Wyrick.
Freshman first baseman
Dom Spinoso recorded his first career RBI on his first career hit – a single down the left field line, which accounted for the Knights' final run of the game.
Fairleigh Dickinson returns to action with its second of three games this weekend when they take on Belmont at 2:00 p.m. (EST) in Nashville.
