POMONA, N.J. (March 27, 2019) – Sophomore AJ Yurista went 4-for-4, and junior Kevin Smiegocki snapped an 8-8 tie in the top of the 10th inning with an RBI single to lead the FDU-Florham baseball team to 9-8 win over Stockton University Wednesday.

The Devils picked up their consecutive extra-inning win and moved to 7-10 on the season. The Ospreys fell to 10-4 with the setback, having dropped their last four after starting 10-0.

FDU registered runs in each of the first two frames, taking a 2-0 lead into the third. Sophomore Matt Nodoro and junior Jonathan Biale hit consecutive doubles in the first for the first run, while Yurista knocked in Smiegocki for the games' first run. Smiegocki had led off the second with a double down the right-field line. The Devils threatened again in the third, loading the bases with two outs but were unable to score as a flyout ended the inning.

Stockton battled back, scoring five times on six hits in the third. Four of the tallies came with two outs, as the Ospreys had a pair of run-scoring extra base hits. FDU responded with two of their own in the top of fifth to get within one run. Freshman Tyler McCulloch walked with one down, and the Devils loaded the bases on an infield hit by Michael Tufano and Smiegocki free pass. Sophomore Joe Moskowitz drove McCulloch with a sacrifice fly before a Yurista double plated Tufano.

FDU regained the lead in the sixth, as sophomore Nate Peacock and Nodoro led off the inning with walks. Both runners swiped the next base before Peacock scampered home on a passed ball. Senior Ian Havran pushed the Devils back in front, as he lined a single into left to score Nodoro.

The see-saw battle raged on, this time with the Ospreys tacking on two in the bottom of the sixth. FDU answered right back in the seventh, with pinch-runner Billy Podurgiel crossing the plate on a balk. With two outs, Biale singled home Nodoro, pushing the Devils back in front 8-7. Stockton leveled the game for the final time in the seventh, as a two-out single allowed the tying run to cross home-plate.

Neither side was able to score in the ninth, forcing the game to go into extra innings. Havran was hit with a pitch with one out in the 10th before moving up to second on a passed ball. Smiegocki followed up with go-ahead hit, a single into right-center to plate Havran. Summoned to close out the contest, senior Joseph DeFeo retired the Ospreys 1-2-3 in the 10th for his third save of the year.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
•    Sophomore Matthew Godlewski earned the win, tossing three innings while allowing just two hits and one run. It was the first collegiate victory for Godlewski.
•    Led by three each from McCulloch and Biale, the Devils worked 11 walks.
•    Yurista's four hits tied Nodoro and Peacock for the most hits in a game by a Devils this season.
•    Freshman Michael Dell'Unto dropped down a pair of successful sacrifice bunts, the most in a game this season by a Devils hitter.

UP NEXT
The Devils will host King's College on Friday at 4:45 p.m. The game will be held at Montclair State University's Yogi Berra Stadium.