CENTER VALLEY, Pa. (March 18, 2018) - The FDU baseball team picked up a 4-3 win in the opening game before falling 10-6 in the nightcap against DeSales in the conference opener Sunday.

The Devils move to 5-7 on the season, while DeSales moves to 6-8.

GAME 1: FDU-Florham 4, DeSales 3
FDU only notched two hits in the first game, but made the most of the four errors DeSales committed in the ball-game. Senior Reynaldo Diaz walked with two outs in the first and came around to score on an error that Christopher Franco hit into left field. Franco ended up on second base on the play.

For the second consecutive inning, the Devils scored without a hit. This time senior Jack Paladino scored on a fielder's choice by freshman Matt Nodoro. In an attempt to turn a double-play, the ball was thrown away, allowing Paladino to score.

The Bulldogs gained the lead in the third, as two unearned tallies scored on a throwing error. The Devils closed out the scoring in the fourth, starting off with senior Joseph Bonaccorso doubling down the left field line. He would come around to score on a throwing error by the shortstop, leveling the game at three. Junior Ian Havran knocked in Paladino from third, putting the Devils back on top 4-3.

Staked to a 4-3 lead, junior Brad Norris bore down. The junior hurled a perfect fifth before getting the final two outs in the sixth with runners on first and second. After a two-out double brought the winning run to the plate in the seventh, Norris registered a groundout to third to end the game.

Havran swiped a pair of bases in the victory, while Norris fanned four in a complete game effort.

GAME 2: DeSales 10, FDU-Florham 6
Franco got the Devils going in the first game, recording an infield single to score Diaz. In the next frame, junior Kevin Smiegocki scooted home on a wild pitch, doubling the Devils lead. The hosts cut the lead in half in the bottom of the second, as a double down the left field line score a runner from first.

Senior Kenny Carrier started the second game, and retired side in order in the third. He ran into trouble in the fourth, as DeSales put up four runs. The big blows came from back-to-back run scoring doubles. Freshman Jeremy Bello entered with two down, and struck out the first batter he saw, ending the frame.

The Devils countered with four of their own in the fifth. Nate Peacock led off with a triple and scored on a Diaz groundout. After Franco reached on an error and sophomore AJ Yurista doubled, Bonaccorso also reached on a miscue, scoring Franco. With the bases loaded, Nodoro singled to right-center, scoring a pair.

DeSales controlled the game from there, scoring twice in the fifth and three times in the sixth to open up a four run lead. FDU saw the final seven batters fail to reach base, ending the game.

Franco went 2-for-4 while Bello fanned four in 2 1/3 innings of relief.

FDU is back in action on Wednesday, heading to Rutgers-Camden for a non-conference game at 3:30 p.m.