Boca Raton, Fla. – Lynn University's eighth-ranked baseball team split its doubleheader with Barry on Saturday afternoon, winning the opener 9-4 before falling 7-4 in game two. The Fighting Knights first series victory over the Buccaneers since 2008 also marked the first time in program history they have won their first five consecutive Sunshine State Conference series of the season. Lynn moves to 28-8 overall and 11-4 in league play.
Mike Gonzalez had a day at the plate, going 5-for-7 with three doubles, three runs scored and driving in three runs. The Blue & White relief corps was also stellar, allowing only two runs in 9.2 innings of work.
Lynn put itself in a hole early in both games, letting Barry (21-14, 4-11 SSC) grab leads within the first two innings. In game one, the Buccaneers took advantage of the wildness of starter Daniel Patrick and a fielding gaffe from the outfield. Patrick hit the first batter he faced after jumping ahead 0-2 in the count and a double later put runners in scoring position. Branden Shaw then drove home the first run while a fielding error allowed BU to take a 2-0 lead in the second.
Bobby Kruse (3-0) relieved Patrick in the third inning and put up a pair of goose-eggs on the scoreboard in the next two frames. In the meantime, Lynn used three doubles by Sal Giardina, Matt Ackerman and Gonzalez to take a 3-2 lead. Unfortunately, Barry battled back to score twice in the fifth to retake the lead 4-3.
The Fighting Knights offense began to take shape in the home half of the inning, though, knocking around five runs on five hits. Three straight singles by Giardina, Kain and DeBellis tied the game while Gonzalez drove in another with a bloop single over the shortstops head. Michael Stemle then turned on the first pitch by reliever Tyler Petsch to bring home two more runs and put Lynn on top 8-4.
Gonzalez then logged his second double of the game to start the seventh and reached home plate after Enrique Perez singled down the right field line.
Bill Mendek picked up his team-best seventh save of the year with four innings of shutout pitching but it was not without its ups and downs. The junior right-hander allowed only two hits but walked four and hit another.
Errors proved the difference in game two as Lynn committed three errors which led to three unearned runs and changed the landscape of the game.
Travis Connelly (2-3) induced several ground balls, including a potential inning-ending double play in the first, but an infield error kept the frame alive and allowed Barry to score three runs in the first.
The Bucs had their own fielding problems in the third as consecutive fielding errors put runners on first and second. Alex Freedman cleared them all and tied the game later with a line drive down the right field line. Barry's right fielder was slow getting to the ball and Freedman was able to race around the bases for an inside-the-park home run.
Another potential inning-ending double play was muffed in the fifth with a fielding error, allowing one run to score while keeping the frame alive. Barry would go on to score four more and take a 7-3 lead. The Fighting Knights mounted a comeback attempt in the seventh, scoring once on a Stemle RBI single but Lynn's day ended with a groundout.
Connelly tossed 4.1 innings, allowing seven runs, four earned, on six hits with four strikeouts. AJ Falletta and Andrew Melchor combined to pitch 2.2 scoreless innings of relief.
The Fighting Knights are back in action on Tuesday, April 8, at 3 p.m. when they host Florida Memorial. Fans can watch the action live at LynnFightingKnights.com and receive in-game updates by following @LUKnights on Twitter and Instagram.
