Madison, NJ (March 18) – The FDU-Florham baseball team opened Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) play this afternoon and defeated Delaware Valley University in both games of today's doubleheader. The Devils held off the Aggies for a 12-11 win in the opener before FDU put together a 5-2 victory in the nightcap.
 
FDU-Florham (9-3, 2-0 MAC Freedom) was paced offensively by Tommy Moore (Mansfield, NJ), who went 5-for-6 with four runs and four RBI in the two games and by Dylan Hode (Manalapan, NJ), who went 5-for-7 with three runs, an RBI and a stolen base.
 
Game One: FDU 12, Delaware Valley 11

Delaware Valley jumped out in front with a three spot in the top of the second inning before the Devils climbed back to take a 4-3 advantage in the third. FDU scored at least one run in every inning except for the first and scored three in three different frames.
 
In the third, an RBI double by Jimmy Finnerty (Augusta, NJ) plated one run and a two run double by Vincent Ferrigno (Marlboro, NJ) gave the Devils a 4-3 lead. The Aggies knotted the game up at 4-4 in the fourth, but with three more runs in the fourth highlighted by a two run single by Tyler McCulloch (Berkeley Heights, NJ) gave FDU a 7-4 lead, a lead it would not relinquish.
 
FDU led 12-6 heading into the final inning, the Devils bullpen allowed Delaware Valley to score five times before closer Colby Craig (Chester, NJ) shut the door and secured the 12-11 victory. The Aggies brought H. Bielen to the plate with the bases loaded and he roped the ball to left field all the way to the wall, but Sean Wodell (Freehold, NJ) caught the ball before it left the yard for the final out of the game.
 
FDU starter DJ Gonnelli (Berkeley Heights, NJ) earned the win as he tossed four innings and allowed seven hits, four runs (three earned) and struck out one. Craig picked up his league leading fourth save of the 2022 season. Craig's four saves through 12 games this season already ranks tied for fourth most in one year in FDU baseball history.
 
Ethan Saxe took the loss (1-1) for Delaware Valley on 2.2 innings, four hits, four earned runs and two strikeouts.

Game Two: FDU 5, Delaware Valley 2
 
FDU's bats stayed hot early in game two as the Devils plated four runs in the bottom of the first. Moore launched his fourth homer of the season over the fence in center for a 2-0 lead before McCulloch plated Finnerty on an RBI double. McCulloch came around to score himself on a ground rule double by Matt Nodoro (Morristown, NJ).
 
Back-to-back RBI singles by the Aggies cut FDU's lead in half in the top of the third, but starter Joseph Kastner (Springfield, NJ) ended the threat with the Devils ahead 4-2. The rest of the game, Kastner faced three above the minimum and allowed only two hits over the stretch to improve to 3-0 on the season.

Kastner allowed eight hits and two runs to go along with six strikeouts in the victory, while Delaware Valley starter Dalton Moore took the loss (0-2) on four innings, 11 hits, five earned runs and four punch outs.
 
FDU will travel to Delaware Valley tomorrow morning at 11:30 am for the finale of the three game set with the Aggies.

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