FLEMINGTON, NJ (February 15, 2020)- FDU baseball opened up their season with a tough loss to John Jay College, 17-9. The Devils fall to 0-1 on the season while the visiting Bloodhounds improve to 1-0 overall.

RECAP
FDU started with a three and out top off of the first inning thanks to stellar pitching from Junior Joseph Kastner. Junior Nate Peacock got the offense started for the Devils, leading off with a double, followed by a junior Matt Nodoro walk. FDU jumped out to a 2-0 lead off a double and 2 RBI's from sophomore DJ Gonnelli. Junior Joe Moskowitz scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the second, to increase the lead to 3-1. Nodoro lead things off for FDU in the third, hitting a triple to right center field and putting himself in scoring position. Sophomore Tyler McCulloch capitalized on the play, singling to centerfield to bring Nodoro home, increasing the Devils lead to 4-1.

The visitors took the lead in the top of the fourth, tallying five runs on four hits. FDU responded, tying the score at six, with three straight doubles from senior Michael Tufano, junior AJ Yurista and Peacock. After holding the visitors to only one hit in the top of the fifth, the Devils regained the lead after McCulloch advanced two bases off of passed balls and scored on a balk. The Bloodhounds took the lead back in the top of the sixth, scoring six runs on three hits. John Jay would increase their lead in the eight inning, scoring 5 runs on 5 hits, making the score 17-7. The Devils made a push in the bottom of the ninth, scoring two runs off hits from Gonnelli and Peacock.

LEAD DEVIL
McCulloch was a force for the Devils offense, finishing the day 4-for-5 at the plate with a double and two RBI's. 

KEY PLAYERS
Peacock scored 3 runs on 2 hits and recorded an RBI on his double in the fourth inning. Nodoro scored two runs and a had triple on the day.

FROM COACH
"We showed a few promising things today, but we have to play to higher standards on the mound and on defense. We strayed away from our team identity and that hurt us. The beauty of it is, we have an opportunity to turn the page and play tomorrow. I am eager to see how we bounce back." – Head Coach Jamie Quinn

NEXT UP
The Devils are on the road for an 1 p.m. match-up against Kean on Sunday, February 23^rd.