St. Petersburg, Fla. – Using a relief core that tossed eight no-hit innings in game two, Lynn University's baseball team outlasted Eckerd 6-4 and 2-1 in 11 innings for the Sunshine State Conference sweep. This marks the second sweep in as many weekends for the Fighting Knights. Lynn improves to 27-11 overall and 11-4 in the SSC.
Anthony Boza went 4-for-5 in the opening game of the doubleheader with his team-leading 12th home run while his only hit of the second contest proved to be the game-winning RBI double. The Miami, Fla., native boasts a SSC-leading 41 RBI on the year.
On the mound, Lynn's pitching staff combined to strike out 39 batters in the three-game series. The Fighting Knights fanned 15 in the opening game, struck out nine in game two and added another 15 in the final contest.
Trailing 1-0 heading into the top of the seventh, Jason Matusik drew a full count walk and pinch runner Kamm Washington reached second on Cory Elasik's sacrifice bunt. Eric Herrera followed with his usual clutch hitting, ripping a drive into the right center gap to tie the game at one.
In the 11th, Diorio forced a one out, four-pitch walk, his second free pass of the afternoon. With the Tritons' outfield cheating towards left, Boza stepped up and batted a ball down the right field line to score the game-winning run.
Jerad Harvey drew the start in the second game, fanning four in three-innings of work. Jason Whelan entered in the fourth and struck out four in two innings without surrendering a hit. Kentrail Pierce (3-0) added four more no-hit frames while getting four more Tritons to whiff. Bailey entered in the bottom of the 11th and forced two quick pop fly balls before walking and hitting the next two batters. Running the count full to Anthony Pucci, the red-shirt freshman tossed a wicket split finger past Pucci to complete the sweep.
Game one saw LU grab a 2-0 lead over Eckerd (15-23, 3-15 SSC) in the fourth inning. Boza broke up a no-hit bid by Jordan Huchro with a two out single up the middle. Matusik followed with a walk and Elasik put the Knights on top with a RBI single. Herrera later knocked a base hit into left field which Joey LaRose couldn't handle, allowing Matusik to cross home plate.
Matusik made it a 5-0 game in the sixth when he blasted a three-run shot into the water treatment plant well past the left field fence. The junior first baseman jumped all over a 1-0 fastball for his fifth home run of the season.
Ryan Gibbard (5-2) tied for the team-lead in wins with a solid performance on the hill. He allowed one run and struck out five batters in six innings of work. His only run allowed came in the sixth off a RBI single by Dan Capra.
The Tritons later forced Joe Perrotta out of the game in the eighth with three consecutive hits culminating in a two-run single by Alex Del Monte. Andre Colon entered with one out and induced a weak ground ball back to the mound but did give up a RBI single to Lee Spinelle.
Boza gave Lynn some breathing room in the ninth, though, after smacking his 12th home run of the season, a shot into the wind in left center field. Colon made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth, putting runners on first and second with no outs following a hit and walk. He retired the next three batters to pick up his team-high fifth save.
Lynn returns to action on Tuesday, April 17, when it faces Palm Beach Atlantic beginning at 2 p.m. The Blue & White will pick up where they left off tied 6-6 in the 14th inning from their suspended game against the Sailfish from March 16th then dive into their regularly schedule game immediately following. Fans can follow the action live at LynnFightingKnights.com
