BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Freshman right fielder Tom Ruscitti hit three home runs and powered the Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team to an 8-6 victory in their series opener at Sacred Heart on Friday afternoon.
 
Ruscitti, who finished 4-for-5 with four RBI and three runs scored, now leads the Northeast Conference with 12 home runs on the campaign.
 
More importantly, the Knights (13-30-1, 7-9 NEC) have now won three straight and five of their last six as they continue to make a charge towards an NEC postseason berth.
 
Freshman right-hander Brendan Medoro provided the Knights with their longest start of the season by lasting 8.1 innings and earned the victory. Medoro, who has six of the team's 13 victories to his credit, allowed six runs (five earned) on nine hits, while punching out our Pioneers (16-26, 8-8 NEC) on the afternoon.
 
Medoro's classmate, Emmanuel Corporan came on and shut the door by recording the final two outs to net his second-consecutive save. FDU shortstop Nate Brodsky joined Ruscitti with a multi-hit effort as he finished 2-for-5 with his sixth home run of the season, two runs scored and an RBI, while designated hitter Tony Socci went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
 
The Knights jumped out to a 4-0 lead only to see the Pioneers respond with five unanswered runs. Leading 1-0 in the third, Brodsky and Ruscitti fired back-to-back solo homers and two batters later, Evan McDonald singled home Adam Frank, which established the 4-0 advantage.
 
A two-run double in the home third by Jake Frasca would slice the lead in half and the Pioneers would move in front with three more tallies in the fifth. Despite watching their lead disappear, the Knights remained undeterred and went back to work in the sixth. Socci tied the game by plating Bobby Romano with a base hit.
 
In the seventh, Ruscitti hit his second blast of the day – a solo shot – which put the Knights on top 6-5. The Bayville, New Jersey native had another long ball in his bag for the ninth. Seeking insurance runs, Ruscitti stepped into the box with Brodsky aboard and sent his third homer over the center field fence and provided the Knights with a three-run lead.
 
Medoro ran into some trouble in the bottom of the ninth and Corporan entered with one out and two on. After surrendering a walk and an RBI groundout, Corporan induced a game-ending fly out to seal his second save of the season.
 
These teams square off tomorrow with first pitch set for 12:00 p.m. Due to Sunday's weather forecast, the teams will likely play a doubleheader tomorrow, however, a final decision has yet to be made.
 
Coach McKay's Postgame Comments
"We put together a clean effort for a quality opponent and Brendan was the story on the mound. He stepped up and gave us eight-plus innings of well-pitched baseball and then Emmanuel did a great job of closing the game out."
 
"Tommy's three-run and four-hit performance was truly special. Our lineup put together tough at bats all afternoon and Evan and Tony came up with big hits when we needed them. Another big momentum play for us was Nate's home run."
 
"In addition to those performances, the defense was a major key to today's victory. Sacred Heart always puts the ball in play and our guys were up to the test today but we will need to continue playing solid defense to have success."