LA PLUME, Pa. (April 17, 2019) – Senior
Matt Branco went 3-for-4 at the plate as the Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team topped Keystone College 8-7 in non-conference play Wednesday afternoon at Mathewson Field.
Junior
Michael Frissora (1-0) earned his first win on the mound with four strikeouts over 6.0 innings. Sophomore
Alex Smith pitched the final 3.0 innings to collect his second save of the year.
Dakota McFadden (2-2) was handed the loss after giving up six runs in 6.0 innings pitched.
Senior
Donny Gherardi scored the first run of the day in the second inning after classmate
Carlos Leon reached on a fielder's choice to bring in the Oradell, New Jersey native. Junior
Patrick Rood followed with an RBI groundout to give the Ducks a 2-0 heading into the bottom of the inning.
In the Giants' first at-bat in the bottom of the second, McFadden cut the lead with a home run over the left field fence.
Neither team was able to put a run on the board until Branco hit an RBI single to center field with the bases loaded in the top of the sixth. Sophomore
Thomas Paulich scored on the play and was followed closely by Gherardi, but the left fielder was tagged out at home plate as Keystone's Mohammed Hussein quickly returned the ball from center field to the catcher.
Hussein scored the Giants' first run in the bottom of the inning when Johann Paniagua registered a base hit on a 3-2 count. Anthony Ferrezza gave Keystone their first lead of the day with his two-run single to right field.
The Ducks immediately took back the lead after collecting four runs in the seventh inning. Graduate student
Tommy Baronner brought in the first run with an RBI single. Senior
Matthew Pasko added a run as he was sent home on a balk by McFadden. Freshman
Ryan Finegan sent in Baronner on a sac-fly before Branco hit another RBI single for run number four of the inning.
Ryan Callahan opened the bottom of the inning with a single to right center for the Giants. Jared Davis then pinch ran for Callahan and was able to advance to third on a failed pickoff attempt by Smith. Joe Fichera gave Keystone their lone run of the inning with an RBI groundout before the following two batters grounded out to send the game to the top of the eighth.
After Rood was hit by pitch to start the inning, sophomore
Charles Kwong came on to pinch run. Pasko sent the Glendale, California native to second on a sac-bunt before he advanced to third as Baronner flied out to right field. Keystone's Matt Tarabola then released a wild pitch that allowed Kwong to score and give the Ducks a two-run lead.
The Giants attempted to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth as Fichera recorded an RBI single with just one out, but the right fielder was then tagged out as Hussein reached on a fielder's choice and Chris Panzarella popped up to Pasko at shortstop for the final out of the day.
"It was a very nice response today from our team to get a win on the road," reflected head coach
Kristaps Aldins. "Keystone is a very good squad year-in and year-out. A lot of contributions from a lot of sources today. Credit to
Charles Kwong for alertly tagging up on a fly ball in the 8th and then scoring on a dirtball, which proved to be the difference in the game. And certainly to our pitchers, Friss and Smitty, for bending but not breaking.
Matt Branco had a huge game offensively and was a rock behind the plate all day."
Up Next
- The Ducks return to Dobbelaar Field on Friday, April 20 as they host Catholic University for a doubleheader at 2:30 and 5:15 P.M.
- Prior to the start of the second game, the seniors of the Stevens baseball team will be honored for their contributions to the program.
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