WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson College baseball team scored early and often in a Presidents' Athletic Conference sweep of visiting Geneva College Wednesday afternoon at Ross Memorial Park. The Presidents claimed a 14-1 seven-inning victory in game one before adding a 10-0 shutout win over the Golden Tornadoes in a seven innings in game two.

The sweep improves W&J to 7-2 overall (2-0 PAC). Geneva drops to 6-8 overall (0-2 PAC). 

Game One - W&J 14, Geneva 1 (7 Innings) 

The Presidents scored 14 runs on 12 hits in the game one victory. W&J wasted little time in taking control of things in the opener. The Presidents opened the scoring with a RBI single by Scout Zaas (Powell, Ohio/Wellington School) in the bottom of the first inning. Two batters later, Joe Lehner (Painesville, Ohio/Lake Catholic) blasted a three-run home run of the fence in right field. The Lehner home run gave W&J a 4-0 lead after the first. 

Evan Sante (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) connected on a three-run home run of his own in the bottom of the second as the lead swelled to 7-0. 

Geneva scored its lone run of the day in the top of the third inning. W&J plated three more runs in the fourth and added two more runs in the fifth. Nolan Lutz (McDonald, Pa./South Fayette) highlighted the fifth inning with a two-run double down the left field line that made it 12-1 Presidents. Jacob LaDuca (Clarence, N.Y./Canisius) smacked a double to right center in the bottom of the sixth to close the scoring at 14-1. 

LaDuca, Zaas, Lutz and Connor Helm (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) finished with two hits apiece in game one. Lehner finished with five RBI, which establishes a new single-game high for the junior. Tyler Horvat (Irwin, Pa./Penn Trafford) and Zaas scored three runs apiece. 

Ethan Marszalek (Katy, Texas/Seven Lakes) earned the victory in game one. The sophomore allowed one unearned run on four hits. He struck out three and walked one in a 57-pitch effort. Alex Tomsic (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk), Cameron Hayman (Windsor, Calif./Windsor) and Nate Nolan (McDonald, Pa./West Allegheny) combined to toss the final three innings of scoreless relief. 

Game Two - W&J 10, Geneva 0 (7 Innings) 

The Presidents tallied 10 more runs on 12 hits in the nightcap. W&J tacked on two more home runs as they finished with four long balls in the sweep. 

That was plenty of support for Horvat, who tossed a complete game one-hit shutout. Horvat struck out eight and issued no walks as he improve to 3-1 this season. Horvat allowed just two baserunners to reach in the game. 

W&J opened the scoring with a run on a passed ball in the bottom of the first inning. LaDuca doubled home Horvat and later scored himself on an errant throw on a stolen base attempt as W&J stretched its lead to 3-0. 

Sante laced a two-run single to right field in the fourth to strengthen the lead to 5-0. 

The Presidents put the game away with a five-spot in the seventh inning, which allowed W&J to pick up its second run-rule win of the day. Trevor Dean (San Diego, Calif. / Rancho Bernardo) and Luke Virag (New Kensington, Pa. / Burrell) connected on home runs in the frame. Dean, seeing his first action of the season, smacked a solo shot. Meanwhile, the Virag two-run shot was the first home run of his collegiate career. 

Horvat helped his own cause in game two with a 3-for-3 showing at the plate. Horvat also scored three runs, walked twice and stole a base. LaDuca finished off a five-hit day with three hits in game two. Sante finished game two with two hits and two RBI. 


On Deck: W&J travels to Florida for its annual Spring Break trip at the RussMatt Invitational. The Presidents will play seven varsity games -- all of which will be played at Northeast Regional Park in Davenport, Fla. W&J opens its trip versus Colby on Sunday, March 19. First pitch for the single nine-inning game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.