BOX SCORE
Purchase, NY (March 30, 2008) – Sophomores Charles Swenson (Ellicott City, MD/Mt. Hebron) and Joe Walsh (Green Brook, NJ/Watchung Hills) combined on a five-hit shutout leading the DeSales University baseball team past Manhattanville College, 3-0, in the third game of the weekend series on Sunday afternoon at Manhattanville field.
The win improves the Bulldogs to 11-9 overall and 4-2 in the Freedom Conference as DSU claims its second three-game series of the season after taking two of three from both FDU-Florham and now Manhattanville College. The Valiants fall to 11-7 overall and 3-3 in the Freedom.
Swenson and Walsh were the entire story on the afternoon as they were masterful in blanking the Valiants. Swenson pitched out of trouble in the third inning when a line drive double play ended a rally that saw runners on first and second after two walks and also in the fifth inning when he stranded a lead-off double.
After giving up a lead-off single and then a double with two outs putting runners on second and third with two out in the bottom of the eighth inning, head coach Tim Neiman decided to let Walsh finish the job for Swenson and he came into strike out Paul Blejec to end the eighth inning threat and breezed thru a 1-2-3 ninth inning pitching to the 3-4-5 hitters for the Valiants to record his third save of the season.
DSU scratched out three runs in the game as the MVille starter, Frank Albano, also pitched well going all nine innings allowing just seven hits and striking out nine. The Bulldogs got on the board in the third inning junior Matt Connors (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) doubled to lead-off the inning and later scored on a double steal with fellow junior Nick Repas (Abingdon, MD/Bel Air).
DeSales added another run in the seventh inning on a two-out RBI double from junior Zac Hess (Harleysville, PA/LaSalle) and added a third run in the top of the ninth inning taking advantage of two Valiant errors as sophomore Andrew Feher (Riegelsville, PA/Palisades) scored on the second miscue to post the final margin.
Swenson finished with six strikeouts to earn the win, improving to 2-2 on the season and lowering his season ERA to 3.57. Walsh also struck out one as he retired all four batters he faced for his third save. Sophomore Doc Neiman (Center Valley, PA/Southern Lehigh) had two of the seven Bulldog hits and Repas stole two bases in the win.
DSU returns to action on Tuesday, April 1st when they host Rutgers-Newark in a non-conference game beginning at 3:30 pm.
