Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- The Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team stretched its win streak to six by taking the opening game against Pennsylvania on Saturday 7-3 but dropped game two 6-3 at MCU Park.
The Knights (6-5) received a strong performance from freshman right-hander Evan Raiburn in the series opener as he tossed six frames allowing just one earned run and six hits, while striking out six to earn his first collegiate win.
In game two, the Quakers (3-10) erased a 3-0 deficit by scoring six runs in the final two innings to capture the 7-3 win in seven.
Game 1: Fairleigh Dickinson 7, Pennsylvania 3
After three scoreless frames, senior right fielder
Jason Fatzinger put the Knights in the score column by plating shortstop
Bobby Romano with a double. The next batter, freshman first baseman Steven Yelin, launched his first home run as a Knight -- a three-run blast -- which built a 4-0 lead.
The Quakers etched their first run when a wild pitch allowed the runner to score from third but the Knights responded with three in the sixth. Freshman second baseman Jason Ortiz drew a bases-loaded walk and the next batter, classmate Adam Frank, came through with a two-run single to left field to make it a 7-1 game.
Penn would get a two-run homer from junior Sean Phelan in the bottom of the eighth but that would be all as FDU secured their sixth victory in a row.
Hitting out of the leadoff spot, Frank finished 2-for-4 with the two ribbies, while the second and third hitters in the Knights' lineup,
Mike Veit and Romano each went 2-for-5. Sophomore
Owen VonEsslinger joined the group with a 2-for-3 afternoon as the Knights logged 11 hits in the win.
Penn starter Gabe Kleiman dropped to 0-2 on the season after allowing seven runs (five earned) across his six innings of work, however, he racked up nine punch-outs on the afternoon.
Game 2: Fairleigh Dickinson 3, Pennsylvania 6
Game two saw the Knights offense stake a 3-0 lead for freshman right-hander Trent Valentine through five innings.
Romano knocked in Frank in the first with a fielder's choice groundout, freshman right fielder Peter Theodorellis smacked his first collegiate home run in the second with a solo blast to left and Ortiz scored Fatzinger with a third-inning sacrifice fly.
Valentine retired the first eight Quakers and 12 of the first 13 to come to bat. But the Hopewell Junction, New York native ran into trouble in the fifth as he drilled the first batter and allowed a single to the next one. Following a strikeout and a walk, senior Andrew Murnane came through for the Quakers with a two-run single to left, which concluded Valentine's afternoon.
Classmate Austin Crebs came on in relief and allowed an RBI double and an RBI single to the first two men he faced before striking out back-to-back Quakers to end the frame, however, the Knights trailed 4-3.
With the lead in hand, Penn starter Christian Scafidi closed out his complete game of seven innings and finished with just five hits allowed to go along with six strikeouts.
Next Up: These two teams square off again tomorrow with doubleheader at MCU Park. The Knights will be the home team for both games and first pitch is set for 12:00 p.m.
