TEANECK, N.J. (March 23, 2019) – The FDU-Florham baseball team was topped by Misericordia University 12-5, and 7-1 in Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom play Saturday afternoon.

The Devils are now 5-9 on the season, 1-4 in the conference while Misericordia improves to 12-6, 3-2 in the MAC Freedom.

GAME 1: Misericordia 12, FDU-Florham 5
Misericordia scored at least one run in each of the first four innings in the opener, starting with an RBI infield single in the first. Rookie Kyle Nepton earned the start and settled down punching out the next two hitters before a fly out retired the side. FDU got a run back in their first at-bat, as sophomore Nate Peacock led off with a single and up a base on a walk to junior Kevin Smiegocki. A walk to sophomore Matt Nodoro loaded the bags, and sophomore AJ Yurista's sacrifice fly brought Peacock home.

An RBI single accounted for a run in the second before Misericordia tacked on three unearned tallies in the third. After an additional run in the fourth, the Devils whittled the lead down to three with two in their half of the fourth. Nodoro and Yurista led off with a hit by a pitch and a single respectively before moving up a base each on a balk. Junior Michael Tufano dropped a run-scoring single into right-center, while sophomore Joe Moskowitz brought another run home a sacrifice bunt.

Sophomore Joseph Kastner ran into trouble in the fifth, loading the bases with two singles and a walk. Kastner bore down, getting the final out on a fly ball to centerfield. FDU put runners on first and second in the bottom of the fifth with two outs and got a little bit of luck to score two runners. Yurista hit a fly ball that the right fielder dropped, plating two.

That would be as close as they would get, as Misericordia expanded the lead over the final two frames. They added one run in the sixth before tacking on five runs in the seventh, including four unearned tallies in the inning.

GAME 2: Misericordia 7, FDU-Florham 1
The Cougars struck first in the second game, scoring once in the first inning. The damage could've been more, but junior Jonathan Biale threw out a pair of runners trying to steal to second, including one to end the inning. Misericordia added two in the second, but their hopes for more were dashed as the Devils turned a slick 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

The Devils dug into the lead in their half of the second, scoring their lone run of the nightcap. Senior Ian Havran reached on an error to lead off the inning before moving to second a Tufano single. Moskowitz and classmate Chris Ciancimino each worked walks to score a run; however, a 6-3 double play ended the inning. A sac fly stretched the lead back to three, but Misericordia was kept off the board over the next two frames with senior Kevin Brown setting six of the next seven batters.

Classmate Will Lapham relieved Brown in the sixth and kept the Devils in the game by not allowing a run on just one hit. Freshman Brian Schnack delivered a pinch-hit double down the right-field line before Havran walked to put runners on the first and second with one out in the sixth, but the final two hitters were retired.

Misericordia closed the game out with three runs on four hits in the seventh to cap off the scoring. Moskowitz led off the seventh with a single, but a double play erased the runner. The Cougars ended the game by getting a strikeout to complete the two-game sweep.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
•    Biale caught three runners stealing over the doubleheader, including two in the second game.
•    Peacock registered three hits in the opener, going 3-for-4.
•    Despite being saddled with the loss, Nepton struck out five in 3 2/3 innings, allowing just one walk.
•    Lapham hasn't allowed a run in his last three appearances, spanning three innings.

UP NEXT
The two teams close out their three-game series tomorrow, with the Devils heading to Dallas, Pa. for a 3 p.m. first pitch.