ALLENTOWN, Pa. - The Dickinson baseball team went into Tuesday's series opener against Muhlenberg College looking to keep their bats "red hot" after racking up 33 hits leading to 33 runs in their two game sweep of Haverford on Saturday. Unfortunately, for the Red and White the Mules limited the Devils to just three runs on five hits as the hosts left Cedarcreek Field with a 7-3 conference win.
Time of Game - 2:07
Pitching Decision
W - Ryan Friesen (1-3) | L -
Austin Buzza (3-2)
Inside the Game
After each team produced a base runner in the first both starters
Austin Buzza for DC and Ryan Friesen for MC settled down and gave up no damage. Dickinson struck first two batters into the second when
Derek Smith clobbered a Friesen offering over the right-field wall for a 1-0 lead. Then with two down
Ryan Thompson smoked a double down the left-field line, before
Dylan Posencheg flew out to right for the final out. Muhlenberg responded immediately during the home-half as back-to-back doubles and a single allowed two runs to score off of Buzza to claim a 2-1 edge through two frames.Â
The game remaining 2-1 entering the top of the fifth as an infield knock for Thompson was followed by a free pass to Posencheg putting two on with no outs.
Nathan Bowman then laid down a sacrifice bunt to third allowing both men to advance 90-feet. That brought
Kenny Tagliareni to the dish and he ripped a two-run single through the right-side to give DC a 3-2 advantage. However, the Red and White could not keep adding on as
Andrew Mazzone grounded into an inning ending double-play to retire the side. Once again the Mules had an answer as Jake Swerdloff began the home-half with a two-bagger. Then, after a groundout by Jack Kent, Aidan Legner provided an RBI triple to tie the score. That was followed by a sac fly for Christian Schwarz to give the hosts a 4-3 edge after five.
Over the next three innings, the Devils would be limited to just a double to left from Tagliareni while the Mules tacked on three more during that stretch.
Thomas Marshman took over on the hill to start the last of the seventh and allowed a leadoff walk to Ryan Riccio that came across to score on a Kent single. Then, in the eighth, Brendan Hughes began the frame with a jack to left-center. An error and a single put two on base for Swerdloff. He did not have the opportunity to face Marshman as
Peyton Fox entered the game. He issued back-to-back walks to force home a run to give the Mules a 7-3 lead heading to last call for the Devils. Evan Virno came into the game from the pen to start the ninth and gave up a pair of one-out walks to
Chase Weller and Smith. Unfortunately, for Dickinson a flyout to left along with a fielder's choice to third forced out the final run of the game.
The On-Deck Circle
Dickinson (17-9-1, 5-2 Centennial) returns to non-conference play tomorrow afternoon at 3:30 pm when they make the short trip over to Elizabethtown College for a matchup with the Blue Jays. The Red Devils and Mules will finish up their two-game set on Friday at MacPhail Field. First pitch is slated for 3:30 pm.
