Newland’s Double Lifts DeSales past Delaware Valley, 8-7

Sophomore Mike Newland had three hits and three RBI's in the win on Tuesday over Delaware Valley.

BOX SCORE

Center Valley, PA (March 24, 2009) – Sophomore Mike Newland (Frenchtown, NJ/Delaware Valley) hit an RBI double to left-center field in the bottom of the ninth inning lifting the DeSales University baseball team past Delaware Valley College, 8-7, in the Freedom Conference opener for both teams on Tuesday afternoon.

The Bulldogs improve to 9-7 overall and 1-0 in the Freedom, while the Aggies lose for just the second time all season to fall to 12-2 overall and 0-1 in the Freedom Conference. DSU's offense came alive in the fifth inning totaling 13 of its 14 hits over the final five innings to record the come from behind win.

Trailing 4-0 entering the bottom of the fifth inning senior Mike Bianca (Ellicott City, MD/Mt. St. Joseph) got things started by reaching base after being hit by a pitch with two outs. Senior Greg Treat (Concord, NH/Concord) singled, and sophomore Andrew Feher (Riegelsville, PA/Palisades) walked to load the bases. Newland came to the plate and laced a two-RBI single to left-center to pull the Bulldogs within one.

DSU loaded the bases again in the sixth trailing 4-3 and two outs when Newland came to the plate yet again. After fouling several pitches off he hit a hard line drive to the left side but the shortstop made a nice play short hopping the ball and tossing to second to get the runner at first for the third out.

The Aggies added two runs in the top of the seventh to take a 6-3 lead but the Bulldogs responded as senior Matt Connors (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) started the bottom of the seventh with an RBI single down the right-field line. Junior Derek Moyer (Harleysville, PA/Souderton) doubled to put runners on second and third and senior Zac Hess (Harleysville, PA/LaSalle) also doubled to deep left-center plating Connors and Moyer and pulling DSU within one, 6-5.

After junior Doc Neiman (Center Valley, PA/Southern Lehigh) reached via an error, he stole second base with one out and Bianca plated Hess with a sacrifice fly to right-field. With two outs and Neiman on third, Treat sent a high fly ball to shallow centerfield where the CF called for the ball but had the ball fall out of his glove after he appeared to make the final out and Neiman scored giving DeSales a 7-6 lead.

Both teams went scoreless in the eighth as junior Joe Walsh (Green Brook, NJ/Watchung Hills) entered the game looking for his fifth save. After striking out the first batter, DVC saw the next two runners reach base via errors from Connors and Moyer as the Aggies had runners on first and third with one out. Mike Isgro tied the game with a sacrifice fly and a ground ball to third ended the threat.

Treat started the bottom of the ninth with a single to right field. He stole second base and with one out Newland stepped the plate once again. He worked the count to 2-2 with several foul balls and sent a high fly ball to left-center that just kept carrying and fell from the driving centerfielders reach as Treat scampered home for the game-winning run.

Walsh picked up the win tossing a strong ninth inning despite allowing one unearned run. Newland finished with three hits and three RBI's and Hess had a strong day at the plate with three hits, two runs, and two RBI's. Treat also had three hits and scored twice and Moyer finished with two base hits in the win.

The Bulldogs will return to action on Thursday, March 26^th when they host York College (PA) in a non-conference game beginning at 3:30 pm.

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