TEANECK, N.J. (April 24, 2019) – Sophomore AJ Yurista went 3-for-4, but the FDU-Florham baseball team was topped by the College of Mount St. Vincent 11-9 Wednesday afternoon.

FDU falls to 11-25, while Mount St. Vincent improves to 16-16.

The Dolphins struck first, scoring on an RBI double in their first at-bat of the afternoon. FDU responded with two tallies of their own in the bottom of the second. Junior Jonathan Biale was hit by a pitch leading off the frame and moved into scoring position on a groundout by junior Kevin Smiegocki. Yurista knocked in Biale with a double to right field before sophomore Joe Moskowitz singled home Yurista with a knock to left.

The visitors leveled the game in the third before tallying five runs on four hits in the top of the fourth inning. The Devils responded with a five-spot of their in the same stanza, tying the game at seven. The first five hitters of the frame reached base, with rookie Bobby Hefferon drawing a bases-loaded free pass and sophomore Nate Peacock dropping an RBI hit into left field. Freshman Tyler McCulloch delivered a sacrifice fly to score an additional run before sophomore Matt Nodoro also drove in a run with a hit to left field. The final run came on a double steal with men on the corners, as Nodoro stole second and Peacock sliding into home safely.

The Dolphins regained the lead in the fifth, as a sac fly pushed a run across. Once again, the Devils were able to draw even, leveling the affair at eight in the bottom of the sixth. Peacock drew a seven-pitch walk and stole second before moving to third on a McCulloch fly out. Nodoro was up next and delivered a sacrifice fly to left center which allowed Peacock to touch home.

Mount St. Vincent took the lead for good in the seventh, as a two-out, two-run double to right field made the score 10-8. The lead stayed at two, as Biale gunned out a runner trying to swipe to third base for the final out. The Devils cut the gap in half in the home half of the frame, this time with Hefferon hitting a bases-loaded sac fly to center. The Dolphins added an insurance run in the top of the eighth, and the visitors were able to retire seven straight Devils to close out the game.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
•    Rookie Shea Griffin earned a no-decision in his first collegiate start, striking out two over 3.0 innings.
•    Peacock matched his career-high with three stolen bases and leads the Devils with 20 on the season.
•    Moskowitz reached base four times, singling twice while drawing two free passes.
•    Nodoro has hit safely in each of his last seven games and extended his on-base streak to 21 straight games.

UP NEXT 
The Devils resume Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom play tomorrow, taking on Wilkes University at 3:30 p.m. The game will be played at Diamond Nation in Flemington, N.J. and was moved up from Friday due to the threat of rain in the forecast.