UNION, N.J. – Despite holding a 4-1 lead over Kean University entering the bottom half of the ninth inning, the FDU-Florham baseball team was unable to put the Cougars away and ultimately fell 6-5 in the season opener on Sunday afternoon.
Sophomore pitcher Kenny Carrier got the start for the Devils (0-1) and he was magnificent on the mound, tossing five scoreless innings and only surrendering two hits to the Cougars (3-3).
At the plate, senior Frankie Tassielli pieced together a 3-for-5 day with three RBIs, one run scored and a home run. Nick DeAngelis and Vinny Bonaccorso also tallied two hits in the loss.
After a one-out walk by Nick DeAngelis Jr. in the first inning, Tassielli came up to bat and blasted a two-run homer over the left field fence.
As Carrier coasted through the Cougars lineup, the Devils were able to get something going in the top half of the fifth. DeAngelis got things started with a two-out single up the middle and Tassielli followed it up with single of his own.
As Tassielli took his lead at first base, the pitcher threw over, but it sailed past the first baseman and DeAngelis came around to score to put the Devils up by three runs.
In the top half of the seventh, DeAngelis notched his second hit of the afternoon and after he stole second base, Tassielli brought him in to score on an RBI single up the middle.
The Cougars had something brewing in the bottom of the seventh with the bases loaded following a single by Matt Krupa and back-to-back walks. After Matt Zingaro got the following Cougars' batter to fly out to left field, a wild pitch allowed the runner on third to score the first run of the game for Kean.
With a three-run lead entering the bottom half of the ninth, things looked in favor of FDU-Florham. However, the Cougars got two runners on once Andy Lopez was hit by a pitch and Andrew DiFrancesco singled down the third base line.
A run crossed the plate for Kean after a dropped fly ball by a Devils' infielder and the deficit was cut to two. One batter later, Matt Meleo walked and the bases were loaded for Tyler Heisch, who came up and shot a single through the left side of the field and two runs came in to score to knot the game up at 4-4.
In extra innings, Bonaccorso got things started with a one-out double. He later came in to score on a Ben Thompson RBI single through the right side to put the Devils up by a single run.
The Cougars countered though in the bottom half of the tenth with two runs to grab the 6-4 victory over the Devils.
FDU-Florham will return to action on Sunday, March 6 for a double header matchup against Centenary College at noon and 2 p.m. in Hackettstown, N.J.
