The University of the Sciences men's baseball team held a 3-2
lead as Dominican College prepared for their final at-bat in the
first game of Saturday's doubleheader in Orangeburg, New York. That
final at-bat proved costly to the Devils as the Chargers rallied
with two runs to take the opener 4-3. Dominican proceeded to take
the nightcap 9-3 and complete the doubleheader sweep.
Kyle Davis (Garnet Valley HS/Garnet Valley, Pa.) had three hits
in five at-bats in the opener while Mark Perry (Toms River
South/Toms River, N.J.) added a pair of hits. Pete LaRocco
(Gloucester Catholic HS/Sewell, N.J.) and Mike Gartland (Gloucester
Catholic HS/Gloucester City, N.J.) each drove in a run, both
without getting a hit. Starting pitcher Dan McMahon (Millville
HS/Millville, N.J.) took the loss, falling to 0-2 on the year.
The Chargers jumped out to a 2-0 lead, scoring a pair of runs in
the third inning. Sciences got one back in the sixth when Gartland
drew a bases-loaded walk to score Larocco who had singled with
one-out to start the rally. One inning later, LaRocco hit into a
double play allowing Jeff Murtha to score the tying run.
The score remained tied at 2-2 until the top of the ninth
inning. Murtha led off with a single and was sacrificed to second
by Nick Szalejko. Davis then delivered a single down the right
field line to advance Murtha to third and came around to score the
go-ahead run when LaRocco reached on an error.
McMahon gave up a double, a walk and an RBI single to start off
the ninth inning as the Chargers tied the game at 3-3. Jarrad Gustin came in in relief and faced just two batters, the first
reaching on an error and the second, Dan Robinson singling through
the right side to score the Chargers winning run.
In the nightcap, the Chargers scored three times in the first
two innings and five times in the final two at-bats en route to a
9-3 win. Szalejko, LaRocco and Dustin Gill had two hits apiece with
Gill and Szalejko getting an RBI apiece. Greg Nealis took the loss,
pitching only one inning and giving up the Chargers first run.
Nealis falls to 0-4 on the year.
The Devils scored their first run in the top half of the fourth
inning when they loaded the bases with one out and Szalejko came
though with a sacrifice fly to score Dustin Gill and make the score
3-1. The Chargers got the run back in the bottom of the fourth and
still led by three going into the sixth inning.
In the sixth, Gartland doubled to lead off the inning and later
stole third. He came around to score on an error by Chargers
catcher Iglesias, making the score 4-2. The Devils pulled within
one with another run in the seventh inning. Lou Tomasetti reached
on an error with two outs and came around to score on Gill's single
to center field, making the score 4-3.
Dominican added two runs in the bottom of the seventh with Jose
Padilla driving in two with a single off Gustin. Two Devil errors
in the eighth inning led to three more Charger runs and gave the
hosts a 9-3 lead as the Devils entered their final at-bat. LaRocco
singled to lead off the ninth but DC reliever Justin Moore retired
the next three USP batters to end the game and earn the save for
starter Shaun Murphy.
The Devils return to action on Wednesday, March 31, 2010 when
they host West Chester University in a single game at Richie
Ashburn field. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
