Box Score BOCA RATON, Fla. - Lynn University's 18th-ranked baseball team shook-off the problems that plagued them the previous day and took care of business with a 5-2 victory over No. 6 Columbus State in the final game of the series on Sunday afternoon. The Fighting Knights' two-three-four hitters went a combined 7-for-10 with a RBI and three runs scored.
A day earlier, Blue & White pitchers walked in three runs, so it was good to see the opposite happen in the series finale. With the game tied 1-1 in the sixth and three players aboard, Sam Sampen drew a five-pitch walk from starter Bryan Headley to give Lynn a 2-1 advantage.
The lead was short lived as CSU (5-1) took advantage of two passed balls to knot the game at 2-2 in the seventh. But the Fighting Knights' bats woke up in the eighth to bring home three runs to take the game.
Thomas Kain smacked the second of his two hits with a one-out double down the left field line and was able to score two batters later when Donovan Christman laid down a perfect squeeze bunt single to first base. A RBI ground out from Sampen brought Lynn's lead to two and Kyle Schindler added the final insurance run with a two-out RBI single into right field for the 5-2 final.
Max Watt earned the start for the Blue & White and was able to pitch three innings on short rest. The imposing right-hander allowed four hits and one run but did not issue a walk and fanned one batter.
Ryan Caporice made his Fighting Knights debut in the fourth and loaded the bases with no outs. Matt Tietz, though, turned a fantastic double-play off a line drive before a weak fly out ended the frame. Caporice fanned three in three innings, allowing only one base hit.
Bill Mendek closed out the game for Lynn, tossing the three final innings to collect the win. He struck out three and allowed only the one run in the seventh.
Michael Stemle found his stroke to start the game when he ripped a double inside the bag at third base. The senior centerfielder then swiped third, his fifth stolen base of the season, before scoring on John Borup's single to third base.
Making his first start, Borup was 2-for-3 with a walk, RBI and run scored. Kain was 2-for-3 with a run and Matt Tietz upped his team-leading batting average to .579 with a 3-for-4 day at the plate.
The Fighting Knights are on the road for the remainder of February and kick-off their first away series in Alabama at Tuskegee University. Fans can keep up with the game live at LynnFightingKnights.com and receive in-game updates by following @Lynn_Knights on Twitter and Instagram.
