WINTER HAVEN, FL – The #10 Rowan University baseball team defeated #3 University of Southern Maine, 2-1 on Friday morning in its final game at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.
In the eighth inning, first baseman Rich Powelson (jr. Shamong, NJ/Seneca) reached on an error and was sacrificed to second by catcher Connor Grant (sr. Shewsbury, NJ/Red Bank Reg.). Left fielder Nick Kreiger (jr. Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan) advanced Powelson to third on a groundout. Powelson scored the winning run on right fielder Ryan Pavlik's (jr. Blackwood, NJ/Highland Reg.) single.
Rowan has a mark of 9-2 and Southern Maine's record is 7-3. The Profs posted a 6-2 mark in Florida.
Right-handed pitcher Dylan Johannink (jr. Medford Lakes, NJ/Shawnee) earned the victory, pitching a four-hit complete game. Johannink (1-0) gave up one unearned run, while striking out five. Righty Chris Bernard (1-1) suffered the loss, pitching eight innings and allowing two runs, one earned on four hits.
Pavlik went one for three with one RBI for Rowan. Powelson hit a double, scored one run and knocked in one run. Second baseman Paul McDonough recorded a double and a run scored for Southern Maine.
The Huskies took a 1-0 lead after scoring an unearned run in the first inning. The Profs tied the game in the fifth as Powelson hit a RBI double that scored center fielder Eric Perez (sr. Fords, NJ/Woodbridge). Perez had a single and stole second
Rowan returns home to face Stevens Institute of Technology on Sunday, March 23 at 1 p.m.