EDWARDSVILLE, Pa. (April 16, 2023) – For the second time in four games, opportunistic baserunning led the Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team to victory.

Sophomore pinch-runner Liam DeRubertis scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning to cap a two-run rally as the Ducks defeated Wilkes University 4-3 to close out a MAC Freedom doubleheader Sunday at Bruggeworth Field. Wilkes won the opening game of the twinbill 3-2. 

Trailing by a run, sophomore Victor Schilleci began the winning rally with a one-out single off reliever Sawyer Kemp (2-5). Classmate Eli Somers followed with a single up the middle. With a pair of runners on for just the second time in the game, head coach Kristaps Aldins turned to a pair of pinch-runners with sophomore Zachary Boykin coming in for Schilleci and DeRubertis coming for Somers.

The pinch-runners forced a Wilkes pitching change and Stevens quickly took advantage, immediately executing a successful double steal against reliever Tyler Hoedl. After fouling out a pair of pitches, senior Michael Reyes lofted a sacrifice fly to drive in a run and tie game. 

Hoedl intentionally walked junior Christian Kreiser to put runners and the corners and Wilkes went to the bullpen for a second time in the inning. With junior Frank Tonina at the plate and the count even at 2-2, Krieser broke towards second well before reliever Mike Show began his windup. Instead, Show stepped off the mound and tried to nab Kreiser at second. However, Kreiser immediately stopped running and began to jog back to first. As Show tried to beat the Ducks' outfielder back to first, Kreiser danced his way towards second which elicited a throw to second, which then prompted the speedy DeRubertis to break for home. Second baseman Jason Spezzaferra's throw to plate was slightly up the third base line and short of the plate. Catcher Zack Luksic tried to tag the sliding DeRubertis, but was unsuccessful, giving the Ducks a 4-3 lead. Stevens scored the game-winning run in the series finale with Misericordia on a steal of home by senior Chris Davis.

Schilleci, Somers and Reyes each had two hits for the Ducks, who earned the series victory over Wilkes and closed the day 21-10 on the year and 12-6 in conference play. The Ducks remain in third place in the conference standings. Wilkes closed the day 14-19 on the year and 8-12 in the MAC Freedom. Interestingly, the Ducks are 7-3 all-time against the Colonels, with each of the three setbacks coming in the Keystone State.

The Ducks' rally was needed after Wilkes scored twice against senior closer Anthony Pron (2-1). Pron came on with one on in the fifth and stranded the runner. He appeared to be headed for a 1-2-3 inning after striking out Ryan Johnston and inducing a flyout from Luksic. Chase Vrabel singled up the middle and Jake Cambria followed with a single of his own. Spezzaferra drove Pron's 1-0 offering into right center to score both runners and put the home team in front 3-2. 

Pron worked around a leadoff single but retired the three batters to secure the victory.

The late runs spoiled a strong start from senior Ryan Shea. The left-hander allowed a run on three hits over four innings. He's steadily lowered his ERA by over two runs over his last five appearances. 

Reyes put Stevens in front in the fifth with an RBI single to mark his ninth multi-RBI game of the season.

Game one saw the teams locked in a pitcher's duel. Sophomore Jordan Fisse struck out four over 2 2-3 scoreless innings. The right-hander has only been scored on in one of his five appearances.

First-year Erik Sibbach (5-3) took over in the third and continued to hold Wilkes' offense at bay. The left-hander ran into trouble in the sixth, hitting Cambria to lead off the inning and walking Todd Kolbicka two batters later. The Boxford, Massachusetts native appeared to get himself out of trouble after striking out Luksic on four pitches and inducing a flyout from Darren Kerdesky, however the ball was misplayed in right, allowing both runners to score. Kerdesky came around to score on a Show single after an eight-pitch at-bat.

Wilkes' Aiden Murphy (4-2), one of the MAC Freedom leaders in ERA kept the Ducks in check, allowing just four hits through six innings. The Ducks spoiled Murphy's shutout bid in the seventh on Somers' pinch-hit RBI single, however, the Ducks couldn't push a second run across the plate as Murphy struck out sophomore Daniel Roman to end the game with runners on the corners. 

Up Next: Baseball hosts Wesleyan University at Dobbelaar Field on Tuesday, April 18 in the first meeting between the program since 2003 and the first in Hoboken. Links for live stats and video are posted to StevensDucks.com.

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