Myrtle Beach, SC. (March 11) – The FDU-Florham baseball team (5-6) continued their trip to Myrtle Beach with two games, playing against Wilmington College and Lesley. They split those two games, beating Wilmington College 8-1 and losing a shootout to Lesley, 24-20.

Xavier Diaz (Wanaque, NJ) had a phenomenal day, going 5-8 with five RBIs. including a grand slam against Lesley. Aaron Santos (Bridgewater, NJ) also had a stellar performance on the day, as he went 5-10 with five RBI's as well. John Rolli (Long Valley, NJ) went 3-9 with four RBIs.
 
vs. Wilmington College
After a scoreless first inning, the Devils got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning. The inning started with back-to-back singles from Nicholas Colbert (Belmar, NJ) and Ryan Johnston (Garden City, NY). Colbert scored on a Xavier Diaz (Wanaque, NJ), and Peter Longo (Cherry Hill, NJ) scored Johnston on an error from the left fielder. Parker Muratore (Branchburg, NJ) reached on an error to load the bases, and Aaron Santos (Bridgewater, NJ) hit a single to drive in both Diaz and Longo. At the end of two innings, FDU led by a score of 4-0.

Wilmington got on the board with a sacrifice fly, and were threatening with bases load, but FDU got out of the inning without any further damage.
FDU added a couple of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, as after Muratore walked and Santos singled, Jack Giovenco (Allentown, Pa.) hit an RBI single to drive in Muratore, and John Rolli (Long Valley, NJ) smacked an RBI single to score Santos. After four innings had been played, the Devils held a comfortable 6-1 lead.

FDU continued to put their foot on the gas, as in the bottom of the fifth they added one more run. After Diaz singled, and Longo walked, Muratore connected for a single to driver home Diaz, making the game 7-1.

In the bottom of the seventh, after Diaz, Mark Geist (Middlesex, NJ), and Muratore reached base, Santos earned his third RBI of the game on a fielder's choice which scored Diaz, and expanded the lead to 8-1. That score remained until the end, and the Devils picked up their first game of the day by a score of 8-1.

Trevor Kobryn (Hillsborough, NJ) started the game and went 3.2 innings with only one earned run and four strikeouts. Trenon Stanard (Millington, NJ) picked up the win for the Devils and him, Christian Weippert (Long Valley, NJ), and Evan Sabo (Hillsborough, NJ) all didn't allow a run out of the bullpen.

vs. Lesley
FDU carried the momentum they got from game one into the second game, as they scored two runs in the top of the first inning. Santos started off the inning with a single, and after a Giovenco walk, Rolli hit a double into the right center gap to score both of them, and FDU started off the game with a 2-0 lead.

FDU dumped eight runs on Lesley in the second inning. After Diaz reached base on an error, a Longo double brought him in to add another run to the tally. Geist got hit by a pitch, and after Muratore laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners, Santos knocked both of them in with an RBI single. Giovenco hit a double to advance Santos to third, and after Rolli was intentionally walked, Johnston was hit by a pitch to bring in a run. Diaz then delivered a massive punch, as he hit a grand slam over the right center wall to create a 10-0 lead for FDU after two.

Lesley a run up in the bottom of the second, but that was quickly responded to as Geist hit a solo shot over the center field fence to add another run.
The Lynx continued to attempt to chip away at the lead, as they scored a run on a home run in the top of the third, but FDU kept the homer fest going in the bottom of the inning, as Johnston knocked one over the wall in left field.

FDU continued to keep it going as in the bottom of the fourth, John Rolli hit a sacrifice fly to score Zach Ganca (Merrick, NJ). Lesley put up two more runs of their in the bottom half of the inning.

The runs kept on coming, as after Diaz and Longo reached base, Cody Batsides (Long Valley, NJ) hit a double that scored both of them. Santos reached on a fielders choice, and Giovenco knocked Batsides in from a sacrifice fly, extending the lead to 16-4.

Lesley continued to fight, as they put four runs up in the bottom of the sixth inning, make the game 16-8.

FDU continued to add on runs, as Diaz, Longo, and Batsides all got on base, Gance was hit by a pitch to score Diaz. Matthew Bond (Ridgewood, NJ) came into the game and hit a 2-run single, scoring Longo and Batsides, which futhered the Devil's advantage to 19-8.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Lynx stunned everyone, scoring 11 runs to tie the game at 19.

FDU loaded the bases in the top half of the eighth and took the lead back as Batsides drove in Christopher Leon (Union, NJ) as the score became 20-19 FDU.
Lesley took the lead for the first time all night in the bottom of the eighth, scoring five runs to lead the game 24-20.

FDU could not respond, and they lost a shootout to Lesley, 24-20.

A multitude of pitchers took the mound for FDU, including Eddie Appollina (Annandale, NJ), Jake Stollar (Flemington, NJ), Alex DeSimone (Long Valley, NJ) Tommy Sica (Wyckoff, NJ)¸ Colby Craig (Chester, NJ), Tyler Gaetano (Staten Island, NY) and Stanard.

FDU will play their last game in Myrtle Beach against Worcester Polytechnic Institute on March 12^th at Crosley Field. First pitch will be at 9:00 AM.

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