Miami Gardens, Fla.- The Lynn University baseball team held off an eighth inning surge from St. Thomas to earn it's fifth straight win. The non-conference victory puts LU at 21-9 overall. Kevin Lee pitched five innings earning his first win of the season. Lee allowed just two runs, one earned, on two hits while striking out one batter. Eric Pfeffer picked up his first save of the season in one and two thirds innings of work, while not allowing a hit.
Ryan Lashley led the Fighting Knights offense going three-for-five with one run scored. Enrique Perez, Jason Matusik, and Sal Giardina Jr. also recorded multi-hit games while each scoring a run.
After a scoreless first inning, St. Thomas took a 1-0 lead when Canizares stole second as Romero came home in a squeeze situation. The Blue and White evened the score in the top of the third inning, when Cory Elasik, who reached on an error at first base to start the inning, scored on a single up the middle by Perez.
An RBI ground out in the bottom of the third for the Bobcats would regain the lead, 2-1. The Fighting Knights did not back down, they scored two runs in the top of the fourth for a 3-2 lead. A one-out single from Matusik followed by a four-pitch walk to Stortini set up Giardina who singled down the right field line, scoring Matusik to even the score at 2-all. After getting down in the count 0-2, Elasik battled back for an eight-pitch walk. With bases loaded Joe Sharkey reached on a fielders choice, which scored Stortini from third while Elasik was thrown out at second on the play.
Lynn extended its lead to 5-2 in the top of the fifth when Ryan Lashley singled to left field, with Perez on second. Both runners advanced and then scored on a throwing error by St. Thomas' catcher. In the bottom of the sixth A.J. Fallleta came in to relieve Lee, but a lead off walk followed by a failed pick off would end his night. Peter Graffeo came in with a runner on third but Zayas, the first batter he faced grounded out to shortstop while the runner crossed the plate.
LU scored its final two runs in the top of the eighth. It all began with a lead-off walk from Stortini, followed by a single to left center from Giardina. Elasik reached on a bunt that brushed past the pitcher to third base, loading the bases for Sharkey. Sharkey recorded his second RBI of the day with a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Stortini. With Giardina at third, Elasik stole second for his second swipe of the night. Mike Gonzalez grounded out to first base but earned an RBI when Giardina scored on the play.
St. Thomas scored one run on two hits off of Kyle Butcher, who took the mound in the beginning of the eighth inning. After walking in a run, Pfefer came in for relief with bases loaded, an error by Lynn's third baseman scored another run for the Bobcats. An RBI groundout for De Jesus was the final line of offense for St. Thomas as the fighting Knights would get out of the jam.
Kyle Young (4-2) earned his second loss of the season while striking out five Knights while Lee moves to 1-0 while pitching a career-high five innings with the start. The Fighting Knights (21-9) travel to Florida Tech March 29-30 for a Sunshine State Conference match up. The Blue and White is 5-1 in the SSC. Fans can log on towww.LynnFightingKnights.com to stay up-to-date on Lynn Athletics. Don't forget to 'Like' us on Facebook and follow @LUKnights on Twitter and Instagram.
