Center Valley, PA, (April 28, 2005) – On a day when the wind was blowing straight out to right field, two left-handed batters took full advantage as sophomore Luke Pisker (Oley, PA/Oley Valley) and senior Dan Fratantoro (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) combined to hit three home runs to lead the DeSales University baseball team past York College (PA), 13-12, in non-conference action on Thursday afternoon.

 

        Despite the wind, each of the home runs would have been gone on a normal day at Butz Field, but none the less, DeSales escaped with the win and improved to 24-8 overall on the year and the Spartans dropped to 25-12-1 overall.  The game-winner came in the bottom of the ninth inning as Fratantoro made everyone forget about a fielding miscue by turning on a pitch that sailed well over the 375 foot sign in right center and gave DSU a win in walk-off style.

 

        The Bulldogs had what seemed to be a comfortable lead entering the top of the ninth, 12-8, but a pinch-hit two-run home run and a two-out error allowed York to score four times and the Bulldogs were forced to rally in the bottom of the inning.

 

        DSU had fought back all game, taking a 2-1 lead in the third inning on a solo home run by Pisker and an RBI ground-out by senior Ian Hauze (Phoenixville, PA/Phoenixville).  YC answered by taking leads of 4-2 and 6-4 before the Bulldogs scored five times in the sixth inning including a two-run bomb by Pisker, his second of the game to take a 9-6 lead.  The Spartans rallied to within one, 9-8, in the eighth but DSU scored three times in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI single from senior Chris Peters (Allentown, PA/Parkland) and two bases loaded walks.

 

        Sophomore Jon Kensecki (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) got the win as he pitched 1.1 innings allowing five hits and two earned runs.  Pisker earns Cambridge Search Player of the Game honors as he finished 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI’s.  Fratantoro had an excellent game at the plate going 3-for-4 with two walks, four runs scored and the game-winning home run.

 

        Senior Nolan Neiman (Center Valley, PA/Southern Lehigh) had two hits along with junior Derek Miller (Green Lane, PA/Upper Perkiomen) and senior Kyle Peters (Allentown, PA/Parkland) was 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.