FT. MYERS, Fla.—There hasn't been much fun in the sun for The University of Scranton during Spring Break.
The Royals lost a pair of games today to Plymouth State to fall to 1-6 on this 9-game trip after opening the season 5-2.
In the first game, the Panthers hit three home runs—one each by junior Ryan McIntosh (Lincoln, N.H./Lin-Wood), sophomore Rew Wilson (Niantic, Conn./East Lyme) and freshman Jeff Runnals (Wolfeboro, N.H./Kingswood)—to cruise to an 11-6 victory. In the second game, Plymouth State rallied with four runs in the top of the sixth to erase a 6-3 deficit en route to a 7-6 victory.
Scranton belted out 14 hits in the opener, including three each by junior shortstop Matt Rayha (Willow Street, Pa./Penn Manor) and freshman designated hitter Eric Pizzico (Royersford, Pa./Spring Ford), but missed out on scoring opportunities by stranding 10 runners on base, including two in the first and third innings and three more after scoring three runs in the sixth.
Two of Rayha's three hits were doubles and senior Jason Lane (Moosic, Pa./Riverside) belted a solo home run during a two-run rally in the seventh for Scranton, which tied its season-high for hits. Lane's home run was his first of the season.
Scranton fell behind 3-1 after four innings in the second game but put together a five-run rally in the bottom of the fifth to take a short-lived 6-3 lead. Senior Chris Velazquez (Pomona, N.Y./Albertus Magnus) drove in three runs with his first triple of the season and sophomore Richard Pohl (Belvidere, N.J./Belvidere) delivered an RBI double earlier in the frame.
The Panthers came through with two clutch hits in the top of the sixth, as Luke Merrill (Pittsburg, N.H./Pittsburg) drove in two runs with a two-out double and Wilson followed with an RBI single after the Royals allowed the tying run to score on a passed ball.
Sophomore Alexander Occhiboi (Brookfield, Conn./Brookfield) had two of Scranton's six hits off three Panther pitchers.
The Royals, now 6-8, will play their final games in Florida tomorrow morning against the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in a 7-inning doubleheader beginning at 9:00 a.m.