WAYNE, N.J. – For the first time since April 2018, the Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team scored at least 20 runs in a game, dominating William Paterson to the tune of a 22-7, eight-inning, run-rule victory Friday afternoon at Jeff Albies Field.
Eight days removed from a 4-3 walk-off loss to the Pioneers, the Ducks scored early and often, putting five on the board in the second, two more in the third, eight in the fifth, and five more in the sixth.
Seven Ducks scored at least twice, three finished with at least three RBIs, and three finished with at least two runs, two hits, AND two RBIs. In all, the nine starting position players each scored at least one run.
How it Happened
After a scoreless first, the Ducks loaded the bases without recording a hit to open the second following an
Eli Somers walk, a
Quinton Sterling hit by pitch, and
Liam DeRubertis reaching on an error. After a strikeout, Somers came in with the game's first run following a dropped pop-up on an infield fly and
Evan Pravato followed with a single to right scoring Sterling. After Pravato stole second and
Chip Krese walked to load the bases,
Victor Schilleci provided the first big swing of the game, unloading the Ducks on the pond with a three-run double to right-center.
The Pioneers got a run back in the bottom of the inning, but Stevens (3-4) put another crooked number on the scoreboard in the third. Somers, Sterling, and DeRubertis opened the inning with three straight singles, Somers scoring on DeRubertis' knock. Sterling stole third, then came in to score on a
Colby Ching sacrifice bunt. William Paterson answered the two-spot with a pair of their own in the bottom of the inning, the score holding at 7-3 heading to the fifth, when Stsvens all but put the game on ice.
With runners on the corners and one out after singles by DeRubertis and
Frank Tonina, Pravato singled in DeRubertis, then after Krese was hit by a pitch, Schilleci added to his monster day with a two-run single. After
Luke Mahala doubled in Krese and Somers walked to load the bases, errors on three straight plays put the Ducks on top 14-3. Tonina was then hit by a pitch, forcing in the eighth and final run of the inning.
William Paterson put two more on the board bottom five, but Stevens kept the machine motoring in the sixth. Schilleci was hit by a pitch to lead off, Mahala followed with a single, and Somers walked, loading the bases with no one out. After
Dylan Fishbough brought in Schilleci with a sac fly, DeRubertis was hit by a pitch to re-load the bases. Ching followed with an RBI single and Tonina followed Ching with a two-run double, putting the Ducks up 19-5.
The fifth William Paterson error of the day plated the Ducks' 20
th run in the seventh, then in the eighth, two triples by Fishbough and
Jack Reichlin plus a single from
Cooper Poggioli gave the Ducks their fifth multi-run inning.
Inside the Box Score
- The 22 runs were the most in a game by the team since a 23-run effort against Utica back on April 28, 2018.
- Somers finished with five walks and five runs scored; the five walks were the most in a single game since Brett Mendez also walked five times on March 5, 2022 against Montclair State, and the five runs were the most in a game since Alex Detweiler also scored five times in the 23-run Utica win in April 2018.
- First-year Connor Herlihy made his first appearance as a Duck, tossing a scoreless eighth to close out the win.
- Schilleci (five) and Tonina (four) each set career highs for RBIs in a game.
Up Next: The Ducks play their first home doubleheader of the season Sunday, March 9, against Middlebury, with the first pitch of the day scheduled for 11:00 a.m..
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