CENTER VALLEY (PA) – The Delaware Valley University baseball team closed out its 2016 season with two losses at Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom foe DeSales University on Saturday.
The Bulldogs took the opener, 6-2, before winning the second, 4-3, in walk-off fashion. The Aggies finish the campaign 15-20 overall and 4-17 in the conference. DeSales ends the regular season with a 25-13 record and 15-6 MAC Freedom mark. The Bulldogs are the second seed in the conference tournament and will play the third seed Manhattanville College on Friday, May 6.
DelVal struck first in game one, putting up two runs in the second inning. Sophomore shortstop Kevin Crill had an RBI single to right center and sophomore first baseman Jeremy Stewart scored on junior center fielder Mike Anusky's groundout.
DeSales tallied its first run in the third on an error. The Bulldogs took the lead with four runs in the fourth. Danny Licamara hit a two-run double to right field, Tyler Sweeney plated a run with a sacrifice fly and Tommy Epsaro had a run-scoring triple to center. DeSales added an insurance run in the fifth when Licamara recorded an RBI single.
Licamara finished two-for-three with a double, three RBI and a run scored. Epsaro was two-for-three with a triple and an RBI. Adam Donovan was the winning pitcher (3-3). He went six frames and surrendered two runs and six hits while striking out seven.
Crill was two-for-two for the Aggies with an RBI. Freshman Josh Morgan and Stewart both scored one run while senior catcher Corey White hit a double. Senior Jake Richard took the loss (2-5).
DeSales opened the scoring in the nightcap with three runs in the fourth. Alec Hardy produced an RBI triple to right field, Mike Kacergis brought in a run with a double to left and Jay Maletz knocked in another with a single to right.
Delaware Valley put its first run on the board in the sixth. Morgan sent a base hit up the middle and senior designated hitter Matt Dewald crossed the plate. The Aggies finished the rally with two runs in the seventh to tie the game. With two outs, sophomore pinch hitter Brett Schatz was hit by a pitch. Junior second baseman Ben Lippincott doubled to left to score Schatz and make it a one-run game. Crill then singled to left center and Lippincott scored the tying run.
Colby Kulig led off the bottom of the seventh with a triple to right field. After the Aggies intentionally walked the bases loaded, Hardy singled to center for the walk-off win.
Hardy totaled two hits (four at-bats), a triple, two RBI and one run scored. Tommy DePaul, Kulig and Maletz all had two hits with Kulig and DePaul recording a triple. Kacergis hit a double. Evan Fraser picked up the win in relief (1-0). Starter Steven Wallace hurled five shutout innings, allowing four hits and striking out four.
Lippincott, Dewald and Stewart all went two-for-four for DelVal. Lippincott had a double and an RBI. Sophomore Nick Liantonio suffered the loss (2-1).