AUBURNDALE, Fla. — The Keuka College Baseball team earned their first win of the 2024 season, defeating Bard College 17-5 on Tuesday afternoon in Florida.

Anthony Laurinitis (Philadelphia, Pa. / Father Judge) pitched the complete game to get the win for Keuka College (1-8). The junior stuck out six in the outing. At the plate, Kyle Wood (Newark, N.Y. / Newark), RJ Murphy (Syracuse, N.Y. / West Genesee), and Shane Daley (Elma, N.Y. / Iroquois) each had a pair of hits. Wood accounted for six runs for the Wolves, scoring three and driving in three against Bard.

Keuka College 17 vs. Bard College 5

The Wolves jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead in the top of the first inning by showing patience at the plate. The first three batters walked to load the bases. Kyle Wood was then hit by the pitch to force in a run. RJ Murphy and Kole Schmerder (Vestal, N.Y. / Vestal) followed with RBI singles for the early 3-0 advantage. The singles would be Keuka's only hits of the inning. The Green and Gold added two more runs on wild pitches to cap the scoring.

Keuka added three more in the third inning with all three runs crossing the plate due to wild pitches. Shane Daley recorded the only hit for Keuka in that inning. Bard got on the board in the bottom of the inning, matching the three runs, but Keuka remained ahead 8-3.

Shane Daley had an RBI single in the fourth and scored on a double by Samuel O'Neil (Macedon, N.Y. / Ruben A. Cirillo) as the Wolves added to their total. Two more scored on a triple by Carlos Fantauzzi (Canandaigua, N.Y. / Canandaigua Academy) in the fifth and Kyle Wood added an RBI single.

The Wolves kept pushing across runs, scoring three more in the top of the sixth to make it 17-5 as the game was in hand for Keuka College. RJ Murphy threw out a runner attempting to steal to finish the bottom of the sixth and Anthony Laurinitis got the final two outs via the strikeout in the seventh to close out the 17-5 victory for the Wolves.

KC Notes:

• Tuesday was the first-ever game for Keuka College against Bard College in baseball, but it was the 50th the Green and Gold have played against teams from the Liberty League. The win against the Raptors was the third all-time win against a Liberty League school for Keuka College
• With his six strikeouts, Anthony Laurinitis pushes his career total to 95, seventh-best in program history
• The Wolves worked 13 walks in the game and was hit by the pitch four times. The 13 free passes tied for the second-highest total in a game in program history
• Once on the bases, the Wolves were aggressive, stealing seven bags. Ian Ruhmel (Horseheads, N.Y. / Horseheads) and Kyle Wood led the way with a pair of stolen bases each. It tied for the second-most in a game in program history as well
• RJ Murphy threw out a pair of runners attempting to steal on Tuesday

Up Next for Keuka College: The Wolves have a day of rest and relaxation in Florida on Wednesday. The Green and Gold return to the field on Thursday afternoon as they face Union College at 2 p.m.