PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (March 11, 2024) – Junior Colby Ching delivered an RBI single and swiped a base, but the Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team fell to No. 7 Denison University 5-1 Monday in a non-conference game at Centennial Park. The contest was played as part of the Snowbird Baseball Classic.

Junior Zachary Boykin went 3 for 3 and first-year Chip Krese doubled for the Ducks, who have dropped four straight in falling to 6-4. 

Eric Colacao had three hits and a pair of RBI to pace Denison, who improved to 8-2. The Big Red have won nine of their last 10 games after a season-opening loss then-No. 20 Christopher Newport. The teams have faced one another twice in their respective histories – both in Port Charlotte, with each team winning once

Graduate student Leo Bristow (0-1) allowed two earned runs over three innings, while striking out two. Four Duck relievers scattered seven hits over the final six innings, including seniors Marc Rivera and Jacob Buurman, who combined for three scoreless innings.

Jack Rollo (1-0) earned the win for Denison, allowing an earned run with a pair of strikeouts across 5 1-3 innings. 

The Rundown

• Ching opened scoring in the second. Boykin connected for a two-out double and Ching followed with a single to left to plate the Ducks' outfielder. Ching has now driven in a run in each of his last two games. 
• Denison jumped in front against Bristow in the third. Back-to-back doubles down the left-field line to lead off the inning started the rally. Colaco's two-bagger evened the score and Denison's designated hitter came around to score two batters later on a one-out single. Coming into the inning, Bristow had allowed just two hits on the day.
• Stevens put a pair of runners on in its half of the third, with junior Eli Somers reaching on a single and senior Christian Kreiser walked. But Rollo induced a popup and then struck out senior Frank Tonina to end the threat.
• The Ducks threatened again in the sixth, bringing the tying run to the plate against Rollo and reliever Nate Dinges. Junior Liam DeRubertis was hit by a pitch and Boykin singled to force Denison to make a pitching change. After Ching moved both runners up with a sacrifice, Dinges induced a groundout to end the inning.
• Denison added single runs in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings. The Ducks had two runners on in both the seventh and ninth innings but were unable to scratch out another run.

Top Performers

• Boykin and Krese each had extra-base hits. Boykin also stole a base. 
• Graduate student Michael Reyes had a pair of singles. 
• A total of six batters were hit by a pitch, including Krese and DeRubertis.

For the Opponents

• Denison stole four bases but were also caught four times. 
• Jake Welsch was the only player to have two hits.

Around the MAC Freedom 

• FDU-Florham 10, Dean 1 (Sun.)
• Ithaca 5, No. 21 Arcadia 5 (Sun.)
• FDU-Florham 21, Clarks Summit, 9 (Sun.)
• Cabrini @ Delaware Valley was postponed (Sun)
• No. 21 Arcadia 9, Case Western 1
• Lesley 6, FDU-Florham 3

Up Next

• Stevens continues its stint in Florida Tuesday with a non-conference contest with North Central College. It is believed to be the first-ever meeting between the squads. A link for live video is posted to StevensDucks.com.

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