Boca Raton, Fla. - Lynn University's baseball team mustered up just enough offense to split a doubleheader 4-1, 1-6 with Palm Beach Atlantic on Saturday afternoon.  Cory Elasik, Alex Freedman and Sal Giardina, Jr., each logged three hits on the day.  The Fighting Knights move to 3-3 on the season.

 

Palm Beach Atlantic pitchers surrendered 12 hits in game one but were aided by five double-plays, four of which ended an inning with runners in scoring position.  Lynn, though, was able to take a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Joey Sharkey led off with a double into the right center gap and Freedman drove him home with a single up the middle.

 

Lynn put two more base runners on in the fourth and took advantage of a throwing error on an Elasik stolen base to add to its advantage.  Following the throwing error and an Enrique Perez double, the Blue & White were able to take a 3-0 lead.

 

Giardina added some cushion in the fifth with a one-out RBI single to right center, scoring Freedman, but a double-play ended the LU threat.

 

Jed Vandernaald cruised through much of his 4.2 innings of work but a walk and fielding error threw him off his game and he was relieved by AJ Falletta with the bases loaded and one out.  The sophomore southpaw immediately forced Ryan Gerber into a pop-up and then induced an inning-ending ground ball to keep the shutout alive.

 

The Sailfish started to gain some life in the eighth when they fed off a solo home run by Karl Kapinos to start the inning.  Andre Colon squashed any thoughts of a comeback by surviving another error and then fanning the side in the ninth for his first save of the season.

 

Game two looked as though it would be more of the same for Lynn after Elasik smacked his first home run of the season, a solo shot into the trees in left center field, in the second.  

 

Starter Joe Perrotta blanked PBA through the first two innings but a walk to start the third unhinged his efforts.  A bunt single put two runners on for the Sailfish and an errant throw on the ensuing sacrifice bunt allowed Palm Beach Atlantic to take the lead for good.

 

Reliever Kevin Lee kept it a 4-1 game in the fourth with a fantastic pick-off at second base but he allowed a run in the fifth and was lifted for Falletta.  Once again the lefty specialist came through with a strikeout before giving way to Andrew Melchor.

 

Lynn knocked out PBA starter Jonathan Kies early but could not get past Matt Niedzwiecki.  Niedzwiecker held LU to one hit with two strikeouts over the final 3.1 innings to grab the win on the mound.

 

The Fighting Knights return to action this week when they travel to Carrollton, Ga., to battle West Georgia in a three-game series beginning with a Saturday double-header.  Fans can follow the action live at LynnFightingKnights.com.