WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - The Dickinson baseball team continued to showcase a strong offense in the early part of the young season by racking up 22 runs and 17 hits in a doubleheader sweep over the Utica University Pioneers on Sunday afternoon at Lake Myrtle Park winning by scores of 12-3 and 10-1.

Game One: DEVILS 12, Pioneers 3 (F/7)
Time of Game: 2:15
Pitching Decision: W - Ben Myers (1-0) | L - Christian Cicchetti (0-1)

Inside the Game
It was all about the starting pitchers to begin the game as the Devils Ben Myers and Utica's Austin Rhodes were cruising early as just one base runner reached during the first two and a half innings with Kenny Tagliareni working a leadoff walk in the bottom of the first. Then, in the last of the third DC appeared to be mounting a threat with singles by Luke Gartland and Nathan Bowman putting men on the corners with just one out. Following a popout for Tagliareni, Josh Markley walked to load the bags, but Kaden Sigmon struck out to end the frame. 

The Pioneers would make their first hit of the game count to open up the fourth when Joe Crossley sent the Myers pitch over the left-field wall. A single and hit batter placed runners at first and second with one down for Jason Story who drove in the second run of the contest with a knock to center. He would be thrown out trying to reach second for out number two, before Myers fanned Jacob Pian to end things. The score stayed at 2-0 entering the last of the when a single, walk and sacrifice bunt placed a pair in scoring position for Tagliareni. He filled the pillows thanks to a walk bringing Markley to the dish. He would reach on an error by the second baseman allowing one to come, while during that play Tagliareni was forced out at second but a second Utica miscue on the play let two more men score to take a 3-2 lead into the sixth. 

Glen Cantalupo Jr. took over on the hill for Myers to start the inning and gave up a second homer to Crossley knotting the game at 3-3. He then settled down recording a groundout, strikeout and popout to retire the side. Cicchetti went to the mound for the Pioneers in the home-half and gave out a walk to Ryan Thompson, followed by a single for Will Ferris and a sac bunt to leave two in scoring position for Kim. During his at-bat a passed ball allowed one to score, prior to him walking. That chased Cicchetti from the game and brought on Tyler Catalfamo. He would watch the Devils extend the lead to 7-3 courtesy of a passed ball, double for Bowman and single by Markley. After Sigmon was granted first base on catcher's interference the cushions were once again loaded with Devils for Matt Torres. An error on the shortstop let two men cross, before a two-run double to right by Ferris opened it to 11-3 still leaving a runner on third. Back-to-back flyouts ended the rally with just one more coming home. Cantalupo Jr. nailed the game down in the seventh by striking out the side. 

Devils Mound Report
Myers had an outstanding debut tossing five innings giving up three hits and two runs, while fanning eight and walking none. Cantalupo Jr. went the remaining two frames allowing a run, three hits and adding four more strikeouts.

Game Two: DEVILS 10, Pioneers 1
Time of Game: 1:45
Pitching Decision: W - Austin Buzza (1-0) | L - Aidan McCue (2-1)

Inside the Game
The Red and White were off and running in the top of the first as Tagliareni began the game with a two-bagger, before being driven in two batters later by Sigmon. Torres produced a two-out single to try and keep things going, but was left stranded when Markley bounced into a fielder's choice. Buzza began things by striking out the side in the home-half to leave it at 1-0 entering the second. However, the Pioneers would draw level in that frame when two walks eventually resulted in runners at first and third for Justin Mazovec. He watched the runner at first steal second and because of a DC error during that play the tying run came in. Things stayed locked into the top of the fourth where walks to both Gartland and Bowman had two on with two gone for Tagliareni. He gave the lead back to the Red and White with a single to left pushing it to 2-1 DC heading to the home-half. Buzza was able to maintain the advantage by setting down the Pioneers "one-two-three" sending the game to the fifth.

With one away, back-to-back knocks from Torres and Markley brought Chase Weller to the plate. However, before anything would happen with Weller a double steal between the two runners resulted in the Devils third run with an errant throw by the catcher letting Torres race home. After Weller and Gartland were both plunked by McCue, Kim plated another with a sac fly to center. Then, Bowman legged out a two-run infield single opening it up to 6-1. Dickinson collected four more runs during the top of the seventh as two errors, a walk, and hit batter left three "ducks on the pond" for Kim. He picked up a pair of RBIs thanks to a knock to left. Later in the frame, Tagliareni provided the Dickinson offense with a sac fly to center and Dylan Posencheg singled out to left making it 10-1 entering the "last call" for Utica. Joey Sangiuolo took over on the mound for Brian Riley who posted a clean sixth. Sangiuolo recorded consecutive flyouts and a strikeout of Lance Berger to end the game.

Devils Mound Report
Buzza was excellent in his second start of the season going five innings allowing one run (not earned) on two hits to go along with seven strikeouts. Riley and Sangiuolo combined for two frames of hitless ball with one walk and one strikeout.

The On-Deck Circle
Dickinson (7-1) goes back to work on Thursday afternoon at 3:15pm with another non-conference doubleheader against University of Wisconsin-Superior in Florida. Read Full Article