TEANECK, N.J. – In a day filled with contributions from newcomers, freshman Tom Ruscitti delivered the game-clinching blow, which gave the Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team a season-opening, 10-inning, 6-5 win over Seton Hall at the Naimoli Family Baseball Complex on Friday afternoon.
 
In the bottom of the 10th frame, Ruscitti, who finished 2-for-5 in the game, pulled a two-out pitch through the right side of the infield and pinch-runner Tristan Plescia raced home from second base to register the game-winning run.
 
Featuring a lineup with six freshmen, the Knights (1-0) earned the win for their manager, Justin McKay, who was making his debut as head coach of the team. McKay's strategy paid dividends in the win as he lifted his senior captain, No. 3 hitter Evan McDonald, for the speedy pinch-runner Plescia in the 10^th.
 
The Knights logged 11 hits in the victory with freshman shortstop Nate Brodsky's three-hit afternoon leading the charge. Redshirt freshman Adam Frank went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI, first-year catcher George Rosales finished 2-for-5 and senior infielder Bobby Romano knocked in a pair of runs as part of a 1-for-3 day.
 
Freshman right-hander Brendan Medoro provided the Knights five innings of two-run relief and earned the win in his collegiate debut, while scattering three hits and striking out one. Medoro's classmate, Bobby Pigozzi earned the opening-day start and gave the Knights 2.1 innings of scoreless ball, despite seven walks.
 
The Knights held a 5-0 lead and the combination of Pigozzi and sophomore Austin Crebs prevented the opposition from picking up their first hit until the fifth inning, however, the Pirates (0-4) would storm back to eventually tie the game prior to extra innings.

"It took a full team effort to win today. I'm proud of the whole team and their focus," said McKay after the win. "We play another quality opponent in Dayton University tomorrow and will get back to work in the morning and continue to try to get better. We appreciate all the support from our fans today."
 
After Pigozzi permitted three walks to load the bases, he buckled down and kept the Pirates off of the board in the top of the first.
 
The Knights immediately answered with a tally in their first turn at bat. In his first collegiate at bat, Brodsky took the first pitch he saw and stroked it to the left side of the infield for a single. Frank followed with an RBI triple and the Knights led 1-0 after one.
 
In the home second, the Knights went back to work by scoring four runs – all with two outs. After the first two men were retired, a pair of walks sandwiched a Brodsky single, which loaded the bases for Romano. Playing in his first game since missing most of last season, the redshirt senior drove a 1-2 pitch to center field for a two-run single.
 
McDonald followed with a full-count RBI single of his own and the next batter Rosales netted his first collegiate RBI with a single to left-center field.
 
After permitting two more walks in the third, Pigozzi was replaced by Crebs, who induced a bases-loaded, inning-ending double play to keep the Pirates off of the board.
 
The lead remained at 5-0 until the fifth when a leadoff error opened the door for the Pirates. A sacrifice fly and a pair of walks set the stage for Seton Hall shortstop Alex Clyde to knock home a pair with a triple. Crebs struck out the next Pirate and the Knights' edge stood at 5-3.
 
The Pirates scratched out a run in the sixth before eventually tying the game in the seventh.
 
With Medoro keeping the Pirates bats at bay, the game proceeded into the 10^th inning. McDonald drew a one-out walk and advanced to second on a groundout. Plescia came in to run for McDonald and two batters later, Ruscitti came through with the heroics.
 
The Knights are back in action tomorrow when they host Dayton (0-3) at 2:00 p.m.