WILKES-BARRE, PA (March 14, 2021)- FDU Baseball traveled back to King's College on Sunday afternoon, for the second of back-to-back doubleheaders, sweeping the day, 20-7 and 16-9. With the two W's, the Devils improve to 2-2 overall and in Middle Atlantic Freedom Conference play. With the loss, the Monarchs drop to 2-4 overall and in the MAC Freedom.
 
Game 1  
First-year Jonathan Rodenhaver (1-0) earned the win for FDU, tossing 4.0 innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out one. This was the first career start for Rodenhaver in his college career. Sophomore Anthony Molina-Porras threw 2.0 innings in relief with three strikeouts and senior Bobby Hefferon recorded his first out on the mound in his collegiate career, closing out the seventh inning.
 
After scoring 12 runs in 14 innings on Saturday, FDU picked up Sunday right where they left off, scoring eight runs on six hits in the top of the first inning. In the inning, 17 Devils hitters came to the dish. Senior Nate Peacock recorded two hits, two runs scored and a RBI, Junior Tommy Moore, platted two RBIs with a double, and Sophomore catcher, Chris Kubas, cleared the bases with a three RBI double.
 
The Monarchs got on the board in the bottom of the second inning, scoring two off of Goodlad to cut the Devil lead to six. FDU put together another multiple run inning, scoring three in the top of the third on five hits. Peacock, Yurista and senior Matt Nodoro recorded hits in the inning, and Moore belted his second Home run of the game over the center field fence. After three, FDU led 11-2.
 
Four runs in the fifth and five in the sixth, rounded out the scoring for the Devils in game one. In the fifth, Peacock roped a double down the line, Nodoro singled, Yurista singled (RBI), sophomore Tyler McCulloch doubled (2RBI) and senior Joe Moskowitz capped off the scoring with an RBI single. After senior Bobby Hefferon, pinch senior Chris Ciancimino walked, and Nodoro singled again, Yurista hammered a ball over the left field fence for his first career grand slam. The Devils didn't stop there, sophomore Brandyn Pokrass smacked a single to right field before scoring on a fielder's choice.
 
In the game, Peacock went 4-for-4 with three runs scored and a RBI. Nodoro was 4-for-6 with three runs scored and a RBI. Yurista knocked in six RBI while going 3-for-3 with four runs scored and a grand slam. Moore had two hits, both extra base hits, to finish with four RBI and two runs scored. All-in-all, 11 Devils recorded a hit and four different players finished with two hits or more.
 
Game 2
Sophomore Grant Goodlad started on the hill for FDU in game two. He tossed 3.2 innings with five strikeouts. Goodlad was relieved by first-year Alex Morrissey who earned the win, the first of his career. Morrissey threw 1.2 innings and struck out one. Yurista was next, tossing 2.2 innings of two run baseball and recording one strikeout. Moore finished with 0.1 innings pitched before the game was called due to darkness.
 
FDU took the early lead again in game two, scoring a run in the top of the second inning after Kubas scored McCulloch. The Devils added two more in the third, thanks to errors and walks from the Monarchs defense. With a 3-0 lead in the fourth, King's got on the board in a big way, scoring six runs on four hits in the inning to jump ahead, 6-3.
 
As was the theme all weekend, the Devils bounced back with five runs of their own in the top of the fifth inning on three hits. Moore, Moskowitz (RBI) and sophomore Arben Adili (RBI) recorded hits in the inning. FDU also had two runs score on walks (Moore and Yurista). After four and a half, FDU led, 8-6. The Monarchs pulled one across in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead to 8-7, before Tommy Moore did it again. His third home run in four games, second of the day, was a three-run shot over the left field wall for an 11-7 FDU advantage.
 
After King's scored two in the bottom of the eighth, the Devils put the game out of the reach in the top half of the last inning. Five runs on three hits gave FDU 16 runs scored in the game and 26 scored on the day. The last time FDU baseball scored 20+ runs was on March 17, 2019 versus Delaware Valley.
 
Power Surge
Moore and Yurista combined for two doubles, four homeruns and 17 RBI's
 
Peacocking It
On the day, Peacock finished with six hits, two doubles, 2 RBI and five runs scored.
 
Run Factory
Between the four games combined, the Devils scored 38 runs in 32 innings of play.
 
From Coach
"It's all about the bounce. To drop two on the road, then travel back there the next day, a game away from losing the series, and sweeping the DH for the series split? That's gutsy. Our kids are tough and played some relentless baseball all day. I'm proud of them. We need to build on today and grow this week in preparation for a great DeSales team Friday. " - Head Coach, Jamie Quinn
 
Up Next
FDU will return "home" to Diamond Nation in Flemington, NJ on Friday, March 19 for an 11am DH.