DAVENPORT, Fla. – Sophomore pitcher Anthony Pass (Clinton, Pa./West Allegheny) tossed a complete game three hitter and junior outfielder Drew Garth (Glenshaw, Pa./North Hills) slugged a go-ahead home run to guide the Washington & Jefferson baseball team to a 6-2 win Friday afternoon in the Spring Break finale for the Presidents in Davenport, Fla.
The Presidents went 4-2 during their Spring Break trip to Central Florida.
Pass allowed just two runs on three hits during his nine innings of work. Pass registered 12 strikeouts and walked just two during the complete game effort.
SUNY Cobleskill scored their only two runs of the game in the top of the first inning. A one-out walk followed by a two-run home run by Samuel Gutierrez gave the Fighting Tigers a 2-0 lead.
The Presidents tied the score with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. W&J got an RBI single from Zac Stern (Coraopolis, Pa. / Montour) and a run-scoring double by Luke Alvarez (Elizabeth, Pa. / Elizabeth Forward) with two outs to knot the score up at 2-2.
W&J took the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth inning. Jacob LaDuca (Clarence, N.Y./Canisius) singled with one out before stealing second base. A batter later, Garth came through with a go-ahead two-run home run over the right field fence.
The Red and Black tacked on an insurance run in the seventh without the benefit of a hit. Consecutive walks to LaDuca and Garth coupled with a Nolan Lutz (McDonald, Pa./South Fayette) hit by pitch loaded the bases. Scout Zaas (Powell, Ohio / Wellington School) drew a bases loaded walk on a 3-2 pitch to bring home LaDuca.
Alvarez doubled and scored on a two-out RBI single by John Klein (Vienna, Va. / Madison) to extend the lead to 6-2 after eight innings.
That was plenty of support for Pass, who retired Cobleskill in order in the ninth to finish off the complete game effort.
LaDuca, Zaas and Alvarez finished with two hits apiece.
After a week in the Sunshine state, W&J heads back up north for the start of conference play. The Presidents will host Saint Vincent on Wednesday, March 27. First pitch for the twinbill is set for 1 p.m.