Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 BOCA RATON, Fla. - Lynn University's 18th-ranked baseball team held No. 6 Columbus State in check for most of the afternoon but a pair of big innings helped the Cougars to a 5-2, 5-1 doubleheader sweep on Saturday afternoon. Matt Tietz was 4-for-7 with an RBI for the Fighting Knights.
Starter Jimmy O'Neill had trouble finding the strike zone in the opening inning of game one, loading the bases after falling behind two hitters and then walking home two runners to give CSU (5-0) a 2-0 advantage. The Cougars would go on to score three in the first.
Columbus State took advantage of another gaffe in the sixth after Mike McClellan scored on a 1-2 wild pitch to Chris Daniel. Two batters later the inning ended on a ground ball.
Trailing 5-0, Lynn's bats finally found a rhythm as Thomas Kain singled and scored when Tietz doubled into the left center field gap. A Cougars throwing error by the catch allowed Tietz to cross home plate and cut the deficit to 5-2. Unfortunately, the Fighting Knights could not complete the comeback.
O'Neill (1-1) allowed four runs on four hits with four walks and one strikeout in six innings. Jonathan Eisdorfer made his Blue & White debut with three innings of work. His only mistake was a solo home run to Brendan Collins in the seventh. He allowed two hits, walked one and struck out one batter.
Collins put CSU ahead 1-0 in the second game with a lead-off double, followed by a McClellan two-out RBI single. Lynn then watched as Matt Nettles made a run-saving play with a diving catch at the wall and then threw out a runner trying to advance to end the frame. He later hit a solo home run in the third.
A fielding error started the fourth before starter Travis Connolly walked the next two batters to load the bases. Columbus State netted two runs with a ground out and sacrifice fly to increase its lead to 4-0. Another sacrifice fly in the fifth brought Lynn's deficit to 5-0.
Another throwing error by the Cougars brought new hope to the Fighting Knights as Michael Stemle scored from first base when Kyle Schindler's bunt single to third base was thrown into right field. Lynn, though, stranded three runners in scoring position over the next two innings to halt the comeback process.
Connolly (0-1) would allow five runs, three earned, on six hits with two walks and three K's. Robert Guarnieri pitched a scoreless inning of relief, fanning two batters.
Lynn looks to take the last game of the series on Sunday, February 8. The first pitch is slated for noon and fans can watch the action live at LynnFightingKnights.com or receive in-game updates by following @Lynn_Knights on Twitter and Instagram.
