BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – For the third time in the series, the Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team held a lead but was unable to hold off CSU Bakersfield, ultimately falling 17-2 in the series finale on Monday afternoon.
 
The Knights (2-6-1) led 2-0 after three at bats before the Roadrunners (9-9) exploded for eight runs in the home third inning en route to the win.
 
Freshman shortstop Nate Brodsky recorded his third multi-hit performance of the series by finishing 2-for-4 in the loss, while classmate Tom Ruscitti finished 1-for-3 with his second home run of the season, two runs scored and an RBI.
 
As a team the Knights logged eight hits, while the Roadrunners totaled 16 knocks led by Jake Ortega's 3-for-3 day.
 
Freshman Joey Kosowsky started for the Knights and surrendered eight runs on eight hits across his two innings of work.
 
Isaiah Moten earned the win for CSU Bakersfield by pitching five innings, scattering five hits and allowing two runs with four strikeouts.
 
The afternoon got off to a promising start for the Burgundy and Blue as they netted a run in their first turn at bat. Ruscitti drew a one-out walk, Bobby Romano moved him to third with a single and then Evan McDonald knocked him in with a groundout.
 
In the top of the third, Ruscitti launched his second blast of the season – a solo shot over the right-field fence to give the Knights a 2-0 lead. Brodsky had led off the inning with a single but was caught stealing with Ruscitti in the batter's box.
 
Leading 2-0 in the bottom of the inning, the Knights were unable to keep the Roadrunners at bay. The home team amassed eight runs on eight hits in the inning to break the game open.
 
The inning began with eight hits and a walk before Dillon Forsythe came on in relief of Kosowsky. Forsythe was able to limit the damage as he induced a sacrifice fly before retiring the next two batters with groundouts.
 
The Roadrunners proceeded to score two runs in the fourth, one run in the fifth and sixth innings and tacked on five more in the eighth to finalize the win.
 
The Knights close out their California trip on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. EST against California Baptist.