Miami Shores, Fla. – A long day came to an end with Lynn University's baseball team dropping its double header 2-1 and 4-1 to Barry on Saturday. Starting the day with a four-hour, 13-inning marathon the Fighting Knights couldn't muster enough up following an hour and a half rain delay to get anything going in game two. Lynn falls to 24-21 overall and 8-12 in the Sunshine State Conference
With two of the top-three strikeout performers on the mound in game one, scoring was at a minimum. The Knights were able to strike first, though, scoring one run off Manny Rodriguez in the third when Mike Diorio legged out a potential bases loaded double play to plate Alex Bello. Rodriguez tossed nine innings, allowing five hits and four walks with eight strikeouts.
Andrew Virgili was just as impressive for LU, going 8.1 innings with five hits allowed, one run, two walks and six Ks. His lone mistake came in the fourth which allowed Barry to knot the game at one. Matt Petty got happy feet at first base with one out and left early, but rather than throw to second, Virgili made a play for first and Petty was able to easily slide in safe. Two batters later with two outs, Manny Pedrozo tied the game with a single to right field.
Neither squad had any luck after the fifth with both Barry and Lynn combining for 22 runners left on base. The Knights got out of jams in the 10th and 11th innings but couldn't get out of trouble in the 13th. Petty once again proved to be the catalyst, opening the inning with a single, advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt, advancing to third on a deep fly ball to center and scoring off a Chris Leon single up the middle.
Game two was delayed in the bottom of the first by an hour and a half following the second lightning/rain delay in two days. Once the rain clouds cleared, Barry took advantage of bases loaded with one out. Starter Shawn Kale (4-2) hit the first batter after the break then surrendered a two-run double to Pedrozo to put the Bucs on top 3-0.
Another bases loaded situation in the third yielded a fourth run for BU after a wild pitch scored Adrian English. Lynn finally got on the board in the seventh when it opened the frame with four consecutive singles but the next three batters couldn't extended the rally.
Kale went the distance for his first career complete game while also striking out a personal best eight batters. Brett Hammaker scattered eight hits and walked none in seven innings.
The Blue & White close out their series with Barry on Sunday at noon. Fans can follow the action live by logging on to www.LynnFightingKnights.com and selecting "Game Central."
