FT. MYERS, Fla. (March 9, 2019) – Behind the bats of junior Jonathan Biale and sophomore Nate Peacock, the FDU-Florham baseball team earned 14-9 and 10-3 victories over Bluffton University Saturday.

The Devils improve to 2-1 on the season, while Bluffton falls to 5-6.

GAME 1: FDU-Florham 14, Bluffton 9
FDU wasted no time in the first game, tallying five runs in the top of the first inning. Peacock led off with a single while sophomore Chris Ciancimino and Biale singled and walked respectively. After an out, freshman Tyler McCulloch laced a two-run single before sophomore Joe Moscowitz did the same, scoring Biale and McCulloch. A single put runners on the corners, with junior Billy Podurgiel driving in the final run with a fielder's choice.

The Beavers chipped away at the lead, scoring three times in their first at-bat. The Devils countered with three of their own in the second, as Peacock and Biale proved to be catalysts in the inning with Peacock singling once again. Ciancimino was drilled with a pitch, while Biale singled to left field to plate Peacock from second. Sophomore Matt Nodoro lofted a fly ball to right field that was able to score Ciancimino for a sacrifice fly before McCulloch drove in his second run of the day with a single.

Bluffton added a run in the second before rookie Kyle Nepton set the Beavers down in order 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the third. The Beavers notched an additional run in the fourth before FDU recorded two in visitors half of the fifth. Peacock led off the frame with a double and moved to third on a Ciancimino sacrifice bunt. Biale once again came up with a hit, doubling home Peacock. Two batters later, McCulloch rejoined the festivities with an RBI single into center, scoring Biale.

Senior Chris Portelli allowed no damage in the home fifth before the Devils tacked two additional runs in the sixth on just one hit. Moscowitz worked a walk before junior Kevin Smiegocki was hit with a pitch to begin the inning. Podurgiel dropped down a textbook sac bunt to move the runners up a base before the Beaver pitcher uncorked a wild pitch. Moscowitz hurried home on the errant pitch to score the run. With runners on the corners, the junior Biale capped off his day at the plate with a run-scoring single to left field.

Bluffton didn't go away, scoring three times in the bottom of the sixth to trim the gap down to three at 12-9. The Devils finished off the scoring with two final runs in their final at-bat, starting with a lead-off hit from junior Michael Tufano. Classmate Matt Armendinger was hit with a pitch, and runners moved up on a bunt by Moscowitz. After an out, senior Jake Alercio brought a run home on an error, while Peacock closed out the scoring with an RBI knock to left.

GAME 2: FDU-Florham 10, Bluffton 3
The Beavers were the visiting team in game two and jumped out of the gates with two runs courtesy of a two-run home run in the top of the first. The Devils loaded the bases with one out in their first plate appearance but were unable to scratch a run across. Senior Kevin Brown ran into a first and third two-out situation in the second but escaped the jam by picking a runner off of first.

Neither side was able to score in the third before the Devils broke the game open with six runs in the fourth. Smiegocki led off with a double to right before Moscowitz reached on an infield single. Despite a strikeout, Moscowitz moved into scoring position by swiping second. Peacock drove both of them in with a single to right before coming around on a Biale base knock. After Nodoro was hit with a pitch to load up the bases, McCulloch drew a walk which scored Ciancimino. Smiegocki finished off the scoring by reaching on a run-scoring error.

Sophomore Matthew Godlewski tossed two innings of relief, allowing just one walk and striking out one. The Devils added four tallies in the fifth, with Alercio reaching on an error to lead off the frame. The senior was plated on a run-scoring double by Peacock. Biale continued his torrid day by knocking in Peacock with single to left before Tufano had the huge blow, a two-run single to center field.

Bluffton recorded a run in the seventh, but that was as close as the Beavers would get. Senior Brandon Lopez struck out three hitters in the seventh to lock down the doubleheader sweep for the Devils.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
•    The sweep was the Devils first since March 11 of last season, when they took a pair from Iowa Wesleyan.
•    Biale was a perfect 4-for-4 in game one and finished the day 6-for-7 with four runs scored and seven RBI's.
•    Peacock went 4-for-6 in the opener and was a combined 6-of-9 with five runs scored and four RBI's. 
•    McCulloch drove in five runs over the two games, including four in the first game. The four RBI's were the most in a game by Devil since Reynaldo Diaz had five last year against Centenary.
•    Freshman Kyle Nepton made his collegiate debut, entering in relief during game one. He faced five batters, striking out three.
•    The pitching staff stuck out 10 Beavers in the opener, the most since the team struck out 13 against DeSales last April.
•    The senior Brown made his first collegiate start, tossing four innings while striking out a pair.

UP NEXT
The Devils return to the field tomorrow, taking on Vassar College at 9 a.m. at the Player Development Complex Field 5. The two teams have met three times previously, the last coming in 2011. Vassar has won all three previous meetings.