NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The No. 11/15 Oswego State baseball team split its doubleheader on Sunday afternoon at Christopher Newport. In its first game of the day, Oswego defeated Susquehanna in a 14-8 slugfest. The last time the Lakers scored more than 13 runs in a single game was in a 15-1 win over Cortland at home on April 27, 2016. In its second contest, Oswego fell to Christopher Newport, 15-6. With the win and loss, the team moves to 2-1 to start the season.
With a 1-1 tie early on in the first game, the Lakers' bats came alive in the third inning. Brandon Nicholson walked to start the inning, a mistake the River Hawks would soon regret as Mike Dellicarri homered in the next at-bat. The Susquehanna pitcher then issued a walk to John Barnes that the Lakers would once again make him pay for, but not before a single by Eli Holton put another runner on for DH Myles Kutscher. Kutscher crushed a home run to left field to give the Lakers a 6-1 advantage.
Oswego held a 7-6 advantage heading into the eighth, and the Lakers extended their lead with an explosive eighth inning. Kevin Hylas walked and Lukas Olsson was hit by a pitch in the first two at-bats of the inning. Josh Hoagland then laid a bunt down the third base side to load the bases. Pinch hitter Zach Whelan singled to knock in the first run of the inning for the Lakers. With the bases still loaded, Nicholson cleared them with one swing of the bat, bringing the score to 12-6 with his grand slam. The junior transfer's four runs batted in were a game-high.
Barnes tacked on one more run later in the inning with a solo homer, and the slugfest continued into the ninth inning. Matt Deblasio launched a home run to left field for the Lakers' final run of the contest.
Pitcher Robert Donnelly gave up four earned runs in five innings of work, earning the win. The senior struck out four of the Susquehanna batters he faced. Ronald Loomis and Ben Geiger came in in relief, pitching two innings apiece and each giving up one earned run.
In game two, Nicholson's bat stayed hot. The Orchard Park native went 3-for-3 — including another home run — and knocked in five of the Lakers' six runs against the Captains. Whelan, who went 2-for-3, brought in the Lakers' other run when he singled home Ryan Enos in the third inning.
Five Laker pitchers faced Christopher Newport, with starter Brian Nolan receiving the loss. After the Captains scored in five consecutive innings, Nick Antonello and Matt Zakala combined for three scoreless innings to end the game.
Next, the Lakers travel to Delaware as they face Wesley in a doubleheader starting at noon on Saturday.
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