Myrtle Beach, SC (March 10) –The FDU-Florham baseball team (5-5) secured a clean sweep in their opening day at the Ripken Experience down in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina when their offense combined for a total of 31 runs and 39 hits on the day during their victories against Dean (0-2), 10-1 and Clarks Summit (2-9), 21-9 on Sunday afternoon.

The Devils were spotlighted today by Jack Giovenco (Allentown, Pa.) who went 7-for-9 with four RBI, two doubles, a triple and four runs scored through two games. Aaron Santos (Bridgewater, N.J.) combined for five hits, four RBI, a double, a home run and scored five runs while Zach Ganca (Merrick, N.J.) brought home five runs on two hits with a grand slam and crossed home plate three times on the day.
 
Vs. Dean
 
After retiring the side in the top of the first, The Devils put the first run on the board in the bottom of the frame for an early 1-0 lead. After two straight outs, Matt Aber (Basking Ridge, N.J.) walked and made it to second on a single up the middle by Santos. Brody Donovan (South Plainfield, N.J.) plated Aber on an RBI single through the right side before the Bull dogs got out of the inning.
 
Fairleigh Dickinson went up 2-0 the next inning. Giovenco led off with a single through the left side and got in great scoring position after he stole second and advanced on a wild pitch. He was eventually brought home on a single RBI through the right side by Tyrus Chippendale (Middlesex, N.J.).
 
After a scoreless third inning, The Devils scored in four straight innings with two runs in the fourth, a run in the fifth, two runs in the sixth and three runs in the seventh to take a commanding 10-0 advantage. The two runs in the fourth were scored on a fielder's choice RBI by Jake Hendershot (Martinsville, N.J.) and a wild pitch that scored Chippendale. In the fifth, Dylan Hode (Manalapan, N.J.) collected an RBI-single bunt that plated John Rolli (Long Valley, N.J.). In the sixth, runs were scored on a bases-loaded hit by pitch that scored Santos and a Hode sacrifice fly that plated Donovan. The seventh inning capped off the FDU's scoring run with a bases-loaded walk that scored Aber, a Giovenco single RBI to third base and another bases-loaded walk that scored Donovan.
 
Dean was able to halt the shutout in the top of the ninth inning with a single RBI up the middle to make the score 10-1 before the Fairleigh Dickinson defense closed out the game.
 
Chris Kaponis (Burlington Twp., N.J.) started on the mound and got the win to elevate his record to 2-0. He pitched five innings, allowed no runs and only two hits and tied his season-high in strikeouts with eight on the day. Ben Cohen (Malibu, Calif.) had a nice outing in relief, pitching two innings while allowing no hits and striking out two of nine batters faced.
 
Vs. Clarks Summit
 
The Devils came out hot right out of the gate with four runs in the first inning to take the 4-0 lead early. Chippendale's double down the right field line was answered by another double from Hendershot down the opposite line for the first score. After a ground out advanced Hendershot to third, another double, this time from Santos through the left side, plated Hendershot. An eventual bases-loaded hit by pitch scored Santos and was followed by a single RBI by Mark Geist (Middlesex, N.J.) to close out the scoring in the half inning. Clarks Summit cut into the lead with two runs in the bottom of the first on a two-RBI single to right center that cut the lead to 4-2.
 
Five runs came across for the Devils in the second inning to take a 9-2 lead. Santos was responsible for bringing home Hendershot on a single to center field for a run. Bases-loaded with Santos, Donovan and Aber on base, Ganca connected with the ball to blast a grand slam over the right center wall to plate the rest of the innings runs.
 
Fairleigh Dickinson collected another three runs in the third and fourth innings to hold a double-digit lead of 12-2. An RBI double to right field by Aber, a sacrifice fly by Donovan and a throwing error that scored Giovenco were the runs scored over that period of the game. The Devils also found four more runs in the top of the fifth for a commanding 16-2 lead when Santos rocketed a two-run homer over the center field fence, an RBI triple from Giovenco and an RBI single through the left side.
 
Clarks Summit put a massive dent into the lead when they put together a seven-run bottom of the fifth to cut the advantage to 16-9. The Devils did not let the Defenders score again and scored six more runs down the stretch to eventually take a 21-9 win.
 
Nick Rizos (Wood Ridge, N.J.) got his first start of the season today where he pitched four innings, allowed five hits and two runs and struck out five batters. Sebastian Alverio (Belleville, N.J.) got the win in relief when he pitched two innings and matched Rizos game total with five strikeouts and allowed only one hit.
 
FDU-Florham continues their spring break showcase at the Ripken Experience when they square off with Lesley at 12:30 pm tomorrow, March 10.
 
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