BOX SCORE
Center Valley, PA (April 18, 2008) – Freshman Mike Newland (Frenchtown, NJ/Delaware Valley) continued his hot hitting going 3-for-5 with four RBI's leading the DeSales University baseball team past Arcadia University, 9-8, in the first game of a three-game set on Friday afternoon at Butz Field.
The Bulldogs have now won two straight, improve to 15-16-1 overall and 7-6 in the Freedom Conference, and have their first winning streak in the month of April. Arcadia falls to 12-17-1 overall and are an identical 7-6 in the Freedom.
Arcadia led early scoring an unearned run in the top of the first inning before DSU took a 3-1 lead with three runs in the bottom of the third inning. Newland knocked the first run in with a single thru the right-side, junior Matt Connors (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) scored on a throwing error by the right fielder on the play and sophomore Andrew Feher (Riegelsville, PA/Palisades) knocked in the third run with a bases loaded walk.
The Knights tied the game in the top of the fourth with two runs on a home run from Brian Maul, but DSU regained the lead with three runs in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single from sophomore Doc Neiman (Center Valley, PA/Southern Lehigh) and another RBI base hit from Newland.
AU battled back once again scoring three times in the sixth to once again knot the score, this time at six. With two out in the bottom of the seventh inning, junior Zac Hess (Harleysville, PA/LaSalle) gave DSU the lead back and eventually for good with a solo home run to right-center field and in the bottom of the eighth after Connors and junior Nick Repas (Abingdon, MD/Bel Air) worked a walk and reached on an infield hit, Newland hit a two-out, two-RBI triple to left-center field plating both Connors and Repas giving DSU a three-run cushion heading into the ninth.
In the ninth, Arcadia loaded the bases with one out and scored its first run on a sacrifice fly to left field. After Maul was hit by pitch to load the bases once again, a second run scored on a passed ball and the Knights had the go-ahead run at second, but sophomore Joe Walsh (Green Brook, NJ/Watchung Hills) struck out Kevin Kolodgie looking to end the game and earn his sixth save of the season.
In addition to Newland's three hits and four RBI's, Feher and Neiman each had two hits and knocked in one run apiece. Connors was 1-for-1 with two walks and two runs scored and Repas scored three runs out of the lead-off spot in the order. Freshman Jeffrey Pinto (Coopersburg, PA/Southern Lehigh) earned the win pitching a solid 2.2 innings of relief allowing just one hit and striking out two. He is now 3-1 on the season.
The Bulldogs will look to take the series tomorrow as they travel to Arcadia for games two and three of the three-game set with first pitch set for Noon in Glenside, PA.
