Baseball Suffers Doubleheader Sweep

Auburndale, FL|The St. Joseph's College baseball team fell twice to Loras College on day two at the RussMatt Invitational Tournament. The Golden Eagles dropped game one 16-5 before losing game two 3-2.

SJC slides to 1-5 on the season and the Duhawks improve to 5-1 overall.

Game One

A two-out triple from junior Paul Britt knocked in junior Dan Campanelli who doubled earlier in the inning to put the Golden Eagles on the board in the bottom of the first. Junior Jesse Nakashian worked a walk putting runners on the corners for PJ Martino who smacked a line drive to left bringing in Britt for a 2-0 lead.

That lead was quickly erased when the Duhawks sent 12 batters to the plate for seven runs on four hits in the top half of the second.

SJC cut the deficit to three, 7-4, with a two-run third inning. Junior Anthony Raucci got things going with a leadoff double to center and advanced to third on a passed ball. Two batters later, senior Lou Doria belted a triple to plate Raucci. Britt followed with his second RBI hit of the day with a single to left sending Doria across.

The Duhawks responded quickly turning four hits and two walks into six runs taking a commanding 13-4 lead.

St. Joseph's final run of the game came in the bottom half of the fourth courtesy of an RBI triple to center by Raucci scoring senior Matthew Burnett who reached on a base hit up the middle earlier in the inning.

A bases-loaded triple by Ryan Koester added more insurance for the Duhawks moving the score to its final 16-5.

Raucci and Britt led the Golden Eagles at the plate with two hits apiece and each with an RBI triple and a run scored.

Four Golden Eagles saw time on the mound with starter Tim Woodford credited with the loss allowing seven runs, six earned, on six hits with two strikeouts and a walk in 1.1 innings.

Loras starter Brad Schwind picked up the win letting up five runs on nine hit with nine Ks in six innings of work.

Game Two

Loras picked up in game two where the left off in game one. The first three Duhawks reached and a sacrifice fly to center by Danny Weis plated Austin Konagel for an early 1-0.

Following a quiet second inning, the Golden Eagles got back-to-back singles from Tyler Sanderson and Louis Fontinha before Tyler Crafa worked a walk to load the bases. Burnett turned an 0-2 count into a walk forcing Sanderson home knotting the score at one. The next pitch got away from the Loras catcher bringing in Fontinha for a 2-1 SJC lead.

With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, three consecutive doubles produced two runs putting the Duhawks back on top, 3-2. Tyler Tomaka took the mound for the seventh retiring the Golden Eagles in order to secure the win for Loras.

SJC starter Austin Turner allowed one run on two hits with six strikeouts in four innings before giving way to Anthony Papa who was tagged with the loss allowing two runs on three hits in two innings of relief.

Aidan Wojciehowski earned the win for the Duhawks behind one-third of an inning's work.

The Golden Eagles continue play at the RussMatt Invitational tomorrow, March 9 when they take on Lesley University at 3:00 pm.