BOCA RATON, Fla. – Lynn University's baseball team earned its fourth weekend series victory in the last five weeks with a 6-2, 11-1 double-header sweep of Eckerd on Saturday. Jason Beaumont continued to be stellar on the mound with his first career complete game while Mike Diorio went 4-for-7 with three runs scored in the twinbill. The Fighting Knights improve to 24-19 overall and 8-10 in the Sunshine State Conference.
After scoring just one run in Friday's game, the Blue & White offense went right to work against the Tritons (16-25, 4-14 SSC). Lynn scored twice in the bottom of the first and never looked back. Richie McVey (2-4, 1 RBI) drove home the first run with single through the right side and Dane Derstine (2-for-6, 3 RBI) knocked in the first of three runs on the day with a sacrifice fly.
Beaumont (7-2) ran into a little trouble in the second and third frames, surrendering four hits and allowing two runs, one of which was earned. But the junior right-hander settled down and scattered four hits with six strikeouts over the remaining six frames to pick up his team-leading seventh win on the mound.
Lynn began to pull away in the fourth inning of game one after mistakes plagued the Tritons. The Knights scored once in the fourth despite not getting a hit and added two more runs in the sixth and eighth frames on just two base knocks.
Game two picked up where the opening contest left off. LU scored once in the first off an Eckerd error and again in the second via a Kyle Radzewski single to make it 2-0. The Tritons managed to cut the deficit in half off of starter Shawn Kale (4-1) but a ground out by Bryant Gibson with a runner on second halted the rally cry.
Getting his first start on the hill, Kale allowed one run on seven hits with four K's while not issuing a walk over six innings of work.
Lynn opened up the floodgates and put the game out of reach with a six-run third inning. The Blue & White got run scoring base hits from Derstine, Radzewski, Diorio and Alex Bello to go on top 8-1.
Eckerd's fourth and fifth errors of the game led to LU runs in the fourth and sixth innings while Derstine drove home Diorio with a solid base hit into the right center gap in the fifth.
Ryan Digiose pitched a scoreless seventh despite giving up a lead-off triple to Wess Hollins. The sophomore lefty fanned Anthony Pucci in a 14-pitch at-bat, struck out Joey LaRose and ended it with soft hit ground ball to third.
The Fighting Knights return to the diamond on Friday, April 29, at 6 p.m. when they travel to nationally-ranked and longtime rival Barry University. Fans can follow the action live by logging on to www.LynnFightingKnights.com and selecting "Game Central."
