BOX SCORE
Center Valley, PA (March 25, 2010) – The DeSales University baseball team fell behind 6-0 and were unable to climb all the way back as the Bulldogs win streak was snapped at five games, falling to Neumann University, 8-5, in a non-conference game on Thursday afternoon at Butz Field.
Neumann (5-9 overall) took a 4-0 lead in the third inning on two, two-run home runs and tacked on two more runs in the fifth to lead, 6-0, before the Bulldog bats woke up. DSU (7-5 overall) put two runs on the board in the fifth on a two-out, two-RBI single from senior Derek Moyer (Harleysville, PA/Souderton) but left two men stranded in the inning.
In the seventh, DSU appeared to have runners on first and second with one out after a single from sophomore Nick Chiovitti (Thomaston, CT/Holy Cross) but after the play was over, the base ump ruled that the ball had hit senior Michael Jordan (Green Lane, PA/Souderton) and called him out at second base, spoiling any threat the Bulldogs had in the inning.
DeSales cut the lead to three in the eighth on a sacrifice fly from junior Carson Slonaker (East Greenville, PA/The Perkiomen School) but again left two runners in scoring position spoiling a chance to get even closer. The Knights took away the momentum in the top of the ninth scoring two unearned runs on a poke single to centerfield and an infield single to shortstop. Moyer did hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to provide the final score.
All told the Bulldog lineup, which had done an excellent job over the weekend with men on-base, struck out 13 times and left eight men on-base in the loss. Moyer was a bright spot as he finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and four RBIs. Chiovitti reached base three times and had two hits and the Bulldog bullpen was solid allowing just one earned run over the final 6 2/3 innings pitched.
DeSales returns to action tomorrow when they get back into Freedom Conference play, traveling to Delaware Valley College for a single game beginning at 3:00 pm. Live Stats are expected to be available for the game. Check the DSU web site tomorrow for the link.
