GAME 1 BOX SCORE
GAME 2 BOX SCORE
Scranton, PA – After dropping a 13-7 decision in the opening game of Saturday afternoon's Colonial States Athletic Conference doubleheader with Neumann College, Marywood University's bats came alive and Tim Freda turned in a strong performance on the mound to lead the Pacers to a 10-8 win in the nightcap. The Pacers now see their record stand at 8-21 overall and 2-10 in the conference while the Knights are now 17-15-1 and 7-5 in the CSAC.
After both teams stranded a pair of runners in the first inning of the opener, the Neumann took advantage of a Marywood error to plate the first two runs of the game added a third on a wild pitch in the top half of the second inning. Matt Gallagher followed with a solo home run to right field and the Knights would plate two more runs on a pair of Pacers' errors to take a 6-0 lead.
The Pacers again stranded a pair of runners in the home half of the second and Neumann added three more runs to open the third, highlighted by a two-run double by Kevin Lengyl as the visitors extended their lead to 9-0.
Gallagher hit his second homer of the game in a four-run fourth inning for the Knights.
After Ryan Cusomato (Sparta, NJ) reach on an error to lead off the bottom of the sixth, Matt Newcomb (Honesdale, PA) hit a long home run to center to get the Pacers on the board. Ed Zakrzewski (Three Bridges, NJ) followed with a two-run blast of his own three batters later.
Cusomato hit a two-out single with two outs on the bottom of the seventh and later scored on an error before TJ Czerw (Scranton, PA) hit a two-run home run to bring the Pacers within five runs. The Pacers loaded the bases before Joseph Slater picked up a strike-out to end the game.
Neumann's Scott Hammell picked up the win after going six innings, scattering five hits and striking out three.
Marywood's Mason Webster (Hop Bottom, PA) was tagged for five runs through 1.2 innings of work before being relieved by Josh Plisko (Moosic, PA), and later, Mike Paterno (Montclair, NJ).
In the nightcap, Neumann took a 1-0 lead after the top of the first inning on a two-out double by Matt Grossi that scored Lengyl. The Knights would get another run in the second inning on an RBI groundout by George Hatton that plated Billy Canady.
The Pacers would rally in the bottom half of the inning on RBI singles by Mike Pinelli (Bristol, PA) and Joe Diskin (Clarks Summit, PA). Pinelli would score on a Neumann throwing error to give the Pacers a 3-2 lead.
Starting pitcher Freda (Westbury, NY) worked his way out of a one-out, bases loaded jam in the top of the third and the Pacers would extend their lead to 5-2 on a two-out, two RBI single by catcher Steve Wade (Bristol, PA).
In the home fourth, Zakrzewski hit his second home run of the afternoon, this one a three-run shot to center that scored Cusomato and Newcomb, both of whom singled earlier in the frame, giving Marywood an 8-2 lead.
Kevin Flannigan would score on a fielder's choice in the top half of the fifth to get a run back for Neumann, but Freda again got out of a pinch by getting a Knight to fly-out with the bases loaded.
Marywood responded with a pair of runs in their half of the inning as Wade walked and Joe Valvano (Katonah, NY) tripled. An RBI groundout brought by Diskin brought home Valvano, giving Marywood a 10-3 leading heading into the sixth inning.
Neumann responded with three runs in the visitors' half of the sixth, getting two-run triple from Jason Vilimis and a steal of home.
Freda pitched six strong innings for the Pacers, scattering 10 hits. Jason Bugno (Clarks Summit, PA) gave up two runs and three hits in the final inning, but held on to help the Pacers secure the win.
Marywood will take on Misericordia University Sunday afternoon in a non-conference game to be played at PNC Field, home of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m..
