HOBOKEN, N.J. (April 9, 2008) – Senior catcher David Katusa singled to leftfield and drove in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a 3-3 tie as the Stevens Institute of Technology baseball went on to defeat Fairleigh Dickinson University on Wednesday afternoon at the Dobbelaar Baseball Field in Hoboken, N.J. by a 6-3 count. The Ducks (6-18) snapped a four-game losing skid as they totaled 14 hits against the Devils (10-12).
In the bottom of the sixth, sophomore outfielder Anthony Andrews singled through the left side of the infield for a base hit. The following batter, Katusa, ripped a shot to leftfield as Andrews came around to score from first as Stevens regained the lead, 4-3.
The Ducks added insurance runs in the bottom halves of the seventh and eighth innings. In the seventh, freshman outfielder Matt Glassman led off with a single up the middle. The ensuing play, freshman catcher Denis Ackermann singled to left center as Glassman moved to second. After senior first baseman John Frustaci grounded into a double play, the Ducks had a man on third as freshman third baseman Ken Meerendonk stepped to the plate. He plated Glassman off a double down the leftfield line.
In the eighth, Katusa doubled to right-center. He advanced to third on a ground ball hit to the right side of the infield. Katusa then scored on a wild pitch as Stevens held a 6-3 advantage heading into the top of the ninth.
Meerendonk earned his first collegiate save as he came in and forced a pair of fly outs and struck out senior outfielder D.J. Hanna (Stanhope, N.J.) for the third out.
Stevens responded from a 1-1 deadlock in the bottom of the fifth off the bat of Frustaci. He knotted the game at 2-all with his single to centerfield, which plated Glassman and sophomore outfielder Mark Rasulo.
The Ducks received a solid performance from their pitching staff. Junior pitcher Alex Sota earned the win (2-1) as he allowed two earned runs on three hits through six innings of work. In the seventh, senior pitcher Armando Suarez allowed just one hit on four batters faced. In the top half of the eighth, freshman pitcher Kyle Hanas saw some action as he allowed just a hit on four batters faced.
The Ducks were led by Glassman, who went 3-for-3 with a pair of runs scored. Frustaci batted 2-for-2 with a pair of RBI, while Andrews finished the game having gone 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Katusa was 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI in the victory.
Freshman pitcher Matt Dizinno (Budd Lake, N.J.) was tagged with the loss (1-1) as he threw for five and one-third innings. He gave up four earned runs on 10 hits. Sophomore infielder Anthony Foster (Hamilton, N.J.) and sophomore outfielder Matt Oliveto (Union, N.J.) both batted 2-for-4 with a run scored. Foster added a pair of RBI in the loss.
Stevens will return to action on Saturday when they travel to Utica, N.Y. to take on the Pioneers in a doubleheader feature. Game One is slotted for a 1 p.m. start.
