Aston, Pa (February 21) – The FDU-Florham baseball team (0-2) opened up their season at Maplezone Sports Institute in Aston, Pa. against Moravian in two seven-inning contests where the Devils fell in game one, 10-2 and despite having a 9-0 lead throughout the early stages of game two, could not hold on to it as they were defeated in extra innings, 10-9 on Wednesday afternoon.
 
Despite the losses, Aaron Santos (Bridgewater, N.J.) had himself an electric opening day with four total hits, three RBI, a double, two triples and two runs scored. Tyrus Chippendale (Middlesex, N.J.) collected three hits, a triple, two runs scored and two stolen bases while Mark Geist (Middlesex, N.J.) smacked the first home run of the season for the Devils.
 
GAME ONE:
 
The Devils got the scoring going in the contest in the top of the second inning when a triple from Santos put him in position for Matt Aber (Basking Ridge, N.J.) to only need a ground out to bring Santos home for the early 1-0 lead. The Greyhounds fired back quick though in the bottom of the frame on back-to-back solo shots past the outfield fences to take the edge, 2-1.
 
Moravian extended their lead with a five-run bottom of the third inning when a bases-loaded walk, a throwing error, and two wild pitches gave Moravian a 6-1 advantage.
 
The Devils cut into the Greyhounds lead in the next frame when another triple, this time from Chippendale, set Brody Donovan (South Plainfield, N.J.) up with an RBI chance and he delivered to make the score, 7-2 Moravian.
 
The last of the scoring came from the Greyhounds however, as the team collected three more runs in the bottoms of the fifth inning on two-rbi single through the left side and a fielding error to make the score 10-2 in their favor. The team let the defense handle it the rest of the way for the win.
 
Christian Weippert (Long Valley, N.J.) suffered the opening-day defeat. He allowed four earned runs on 14 batters faced in 2.1 innings and collected two strikeouts. Sean Wodell (Freehold, N.J.) matched Weippert's strikeout total with two in relief. He pitched two innings and allowed two earned runs during his time on the mound.
 
GAME TWO:
 
The bats were red hot for Fairleigh Dickinson right out of the gate in game two when the team exploded for a nine-run opening frame. Jake Hendershot (Martinsville, N.J) walked in the lead off and was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Geist. After both Chippendale and Donovan were both dealt a base on balls to load the plates, Santos delivered with a three-RBI triple to open the top of the first floodgates. Aber reached on another walk and was followed by Zach Revuelta (Union, N.J.) who brought Santos home on an RBI single through the right side. Jack Giovenco (Allentown, Pa.) kept the scoring with the Devils fourth triple of the day to plate Aber and Revuelta for a 6-0 lead. Back at the top of the order, Hendershot bunted for an RBI single and the scoring finally concluded right after him when Geist hit a moonshot past the left field fence to give the Devils a 9-0 lead after the top of the first.

Despite some struggles in the early innings, Moravian did not falter and eventually clawed their way back into the game. The teams first run came in the bottom of the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly to make the score, 9-1. They threatened the lead after a five-run inning cut the lead to 9-6 for the Devils. Those runs were scored on a single through the right side, a single to left field, a caught stealing throw that allowed the third base runner to go home, and two more RBI singles to left field.
 
The game went to the bottom of the seventh inning, and it was looking promising for FDU-Florham after Sebastian Alverio (Belleville, N.J.) struck out the first two batters, but Moravian dug deep and eventually found the three runs they needed on an RBI single to third base and a two-run RBI double to left center to send the game to an eighth inning.
 
The Greyhounds sent out David Ciaccio to the mound and he delivered three straight strikeouts in the top of the frame. In the bottom of the eighth, Moravian got started with a single and a stolen base to put Jared Ferguson on second. Ayden Dunbar reached on a fielder's choice but a throwing error allowed Ferguson to reach third. With one out the Devils tried to turn the double play with Dunbar being tagged out but Sean Superka was safe at first as Ferguson crossed home plate and gave Moravian the come-from-behind win, 10-9.
 
Jonathan Rodenhaver (Port Republic, Md.) got the game two nod and performed well with four innings pitched, no earned runs or hits allowed, and he struck out three batters. Alverio was another standout for the Devils with four strikeouts on ten batters faced but allowed three runs on three hits. Ryan Krug (Long Hill, N.J.), who came in relief for Alverio, was credited with the loss. He pitched one inning, let up two hits and one run that was unearned.
 
 
FDU-Florham has a good bounce back chance on Saturday, February 24 as the team hosts the Madison Ave Challenge and will host both cross-town rivals Saint Elizabeth (10:00am) and Drew (1:30pm).
 
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