Baseball 4/18/2009 9:55:48 PM BJ Spigelmyer - DeSales SID

Slonaker’s Single Salvages a Split in Doubleheader vs. King’s

Junior Doc Neiman had a team-high four hits in the two games on Saturday vs. King's.

BOX SCORE (Game 1)

BOX SCORE (Game 2)

Center Valley, PA (April 18, 2009) – Sophomore Carson Slonaker (East Greenville, PA/Perkiomen School) hit a game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth inning to deep center field helping the DeSales University baseball team rally for a split of its Freedom Conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Butz Field.

The Bulldogs move to 19-13 overall and 8-6 in the Freedom Conference with the split, while the Monarchs go to 18-13 overall and 7-7 in the Freedom heading into the final week of the season. The Bulldogs will return to action on Monday evening when they take on local rival Muhlenberg College in a non-conference game beginning at 4:00 pm at Coca-Cola Park, home of the Triple AAA Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

In the opener on Saturday, the story was KC's Eric Matula as he baffled the Bulldogs over nine innings allowing just five hits and one run, while striking out 10 and not issuing a walk. DSU's lone run came off the bat of sophomore Mike Newland (Frenchtown, NJ/Delaware Valley), who hit a solo home run to right-field in the bottom of the third inning.

KC scored the only two runs it needed in the first inning, one courtesy of an error by senior Greg Treat (Concord, NH/Concord). Junior Mark Reilly (Cream Ridge, NJ/Notre Dame) took the loss despite pitching well, allowing just five hits and one earned run over 4.1 innings of work.

In the second game, DSU had to fight back the entire game, and scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to record an 8-7 win. After falling behind 2-0 in the third inning, Newland pulled the Bulldogs within one with another solo shot down the right field line. The Monarchs added to its lead with more runs in the fourth but DSU countered with two of its own in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single from Treat and an RBI groundout from Newland.

DSU took a 6-4 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning when senior Matt Connors (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township), Slonaker, and junior Derek Moyer (Harleysville, PA/Souderton) each drove in a run. That lead however did not last long as King's scored three runs in the top of the seventh to re-take the lead, 7-6.

DeSales loaded the bases in the seventh with two outs but were unable to get the key hit and with runners on first and second and one out in the eighth, senior Mike Bianca (Ellicott City, MD/Mt. St. Joseph) hit a screaming line drive back at the pitcher, but the pitcher stabbed at it, caught it and threw to second doubling up Slonaker to end the inning.

In the ninth, junior Doc Neiman (Center Valley, PA/Southern Lehigh) started things with a base hit to center field. Senior Nick Repas (Abingdon, MD/Bel Air) sacrificed him to second and Treat walked. Connors came thru with a base hit thru the left side and Newland bounced out to first putting runners at second and third with two out when Slonaker drilled a pitch to straight away center field and well over the fielder's head as Treat easily trotted home as the game-winning run.

Neiman led the way in game two with three hits and three runs scored, while Connors also added three hits and two RBI's. Slonaker (two hits, two RBI's), Moyer (two hits, one RBI), Repas (two hits), and Treat (two hits, two runs) also contributed offensively in the second game. Junior Joe Walsh (Green Brook, NJ/Watchung Hills) earned the win, moving to 4-0 on the season, pitching a scoreless top of the ninth inning.

For those unable to attend the game on Monday at Coca-Cola Park, LIVE Stats are available at the following link by Muhlenberg College – Click Here.

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