TEANECK, N.J. - FDU Baseball (18-9, 12-2 NEC) used a two homer effort from outfielder Hunter Ray to get past the UMES Hawks (5-21, 4-10 NEC) for a second straight day, clinching the fifth straight NEC series win for FDU Saturday afternoon at Naimoli Family Baseball Complex. 

The Knights jumped on UMES starter Richard De Jesus early in the bottom of the first inning, as FDU was up 1-0 within the first two batters in their half of the opening inning. Johnathan Gomez led the inning off with a single, which was immediately followed by a Hunter Ray RBI double down the left field line to open the scoring for FDU. Just two batters later Diego Urreta singled up the middle to score Ray, and extend the FDU lead to 2-0. Later in the first, Jeremy Delamota singled home another run, making it five hits and three runs in the bottom of the first inning for FDU. 

Nick Quagliato would execute a perfect first and third play, scoring Jimmy Mantuano in the process, and pushing the FDU lead to four going into the top of the fourth inning, where UMES would break the ice. UMES would get on the board in the fourth, and then add two more by way of a two run homer in the fifth to cut the FDU lead to just a run at the conclusion of four and a half innings. 

FDU would punch back in a big way in the fifth inning, as Hunter Ray led off the inning with a solo home run, marking his first of the day, pushing the FDU lead out to a pair of runs. Jimmy Mantuano would tack on another by way of an RBI groundout, scoring Garryn Plummer to make for a second FDU run in the fifth, getting the lead back out to three. Nick Quagliato helped the Knights in a big way later in the inning, as the sarge hit a two run round tripper to make the score 8-3 Knights after five innings of play. 

UMES would draw closer in the top of the sixth after hitting a two run homer to get within three runs, but that homer was immediately answered in the bottom half of the inning with a two run homer, marking his second of the afternoon, and getting back all the runs the Knights gave up in the top half.

The Hawks would draw closer in the seventh with two more runs, only for those to be answered in the bottom half by Travis Stroh, as he hit his sixth homer of the season, scoring Caleb Walker in the process. Knights reliever Nick Noble was able to hold down the Hawks and tally his third save of the season, as FDU won their fourth straight ballgame, clinching their fifth NEC series win in a row as well. 
 

WHAT'S NEXT

FDU and UMES will meet one more time for the finale of the three game series at Naimoli Family Baseball Complex. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. and the Knights will start Mason Hebert on the mound.  Read Full Article