The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia baseball team,
for the fifth time this season gave up the winning run in their
opponent's final at-bat as Chestnut Hill College won the opening
game of Wednesday's CACC doubleheader 6-5 in ten innings.
Chestnut Hill went on to complete the sweep and win the nightcap
6-4.
Mark Perry hit a home run in each game and Mike Gartland hit his
second home run of the season in the second game to highlight the
Devils offense.Jeff Murtha had two hits in each game, extending his
streak of consecutive two-hit games to five. Kyle Davis also had
hits in both games, extending his hitting streak to five games.
Pete LaRocco had three hits in the opener.
The Griffins led 3-1 in the opener as the Devils began their
at-bat in the bottom of the fifth inning. LaRocco and Murtha had
one out singles and were sacrificed into scoring position for Davis
who delivered a single to score LaRocco. Gartland then tripled to
score Murtha and Davis giving the Devils a 4-3 lead.
The lead lasted all of one-half inning as Chestnut Hill
countered with two runs in the top of the sixth to take a 5-4 lead.
Perry blasted a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth to tie
things up at 5-5 which is where the score stayed until the tenth
inning. Dan Etherton doubled and Bryan Henry singled off Jarrad Gustin to start the inning and Etherton scored on Mike Knipe's
sacrifice fly to give the Griffins a 6-5 lead. The Devils went down
in order in the bottom of the tenth as the Devils lost another
one-run game.
Chestnut Hill had a 3-0 lead in the second game before the
Devils again rallied and tied the game with three runs in the
bottom of the third inning. Gartland belted a two-run home run and
Perry immediately followed with a solo effort, knotting the game at
3-3. The Griffins added another run in the fourth and two unearned
runs in the fifth to take a 6-3 lead. Davis' sacrifice fly in the
seventh brought home the final Sciences run, pulling the Devils
within two 6-4. Griffin pitcher Matt Casino then closed the door on
the Devils, who managed just a single in the eighth inning. All
three Devils batters struck out in the ninth with pinch hitter Adam Kissinger ending the game looking at a called third strike.
The Devils are now 0-23 as they head into Saturday's CACC
matchup against Caldwell College at Richie Ashburn Field. First
pitch is set for noon.
