WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College baseball team picked up a close victory over the visiting Pitt-Greensburg Bobcats Monday afternoon in their season and home opener, 5-4.
Brendan Cruz (Carnegie, Pa./Chartiers Valley) led the Presidents offensively with two hits. Drew Garth (Glenshaw, Pa./North Hills), Brian Feldman (Gibsonia, Pa./Eden Christian Academy), Zac Stern (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour), Andrew Miko (Portage, Pa./Portage), Brody Bartenstein (Corning, N.Y./Corning-Painted Post) and Eli Owens (Alexandria, Va./West Potomac) all added a hit each in the win. Feldman, Miko and Owens all contributed runs batted in.
Dante DiMatteo (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) started and pitched four scoreless frames with four strikeouts to pick up the victory. Freshman Erik Streussnig (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) pitched three innings in relief, fanning five batters and allowing two earned runs. Thomas McLaren (Mars, Pa./Mars Area) pitched the final two innings to close out the season opening victory with four strikeouts and his first collegiate save.
Offense started sluggish for both sides in the opening three innings, seeing minimal production from each team. The Bobcats ripped two hits and left one stranded in the top of the third, but to no avail.
W&J's offense broke through with three runs on five hits bottom of the fourth inning. After picking up two quick outs, Stern started a rally which quickly sparked the Presidents' offense. Miko followed with an RBI triple into the left center field gap to score Stern. Cruz and Owens followed with RBI singles to push the lead to 3-0.
The Presidents added another run when they manufactured a score in the fifth. Garth drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a passed before before advancing to third on a stolen base. Feldman laced a hit into left center to plate Garth for a 4-0 lead.
The Bobcats cut into the Presidents lead with two runs on four hits in the top of the sixth. W&J did a nice job of limiting the damage in the frame to maintain a lead. The Presidents scored the run without the benefit of a hit, as Bartenstein scored on a two-out balk to extend the lead to 5-2.
The Presidents gave up two unearned runs in the top of the seventh, allowed by way of a fielding error, cutting their lead to 5-4.
McLaren entered the game for W&J in the eighth inning, fanning two batters to escape the eighth. With minimal offensive production in the bottom of the inning, McLaren trotted back to the mound for the final frame to close out the victory. Despite seeing UPG put runners on the corners with no outs in the ninth, the sophomore reliever retired three straight Bobcats, the final two via strikeout to secure to the 5-4 win.
The Presidents continue their busy opening week when they host the Mount Union Purple Raiders at Ross Memorial Park, Wednesday (Feb. 26). First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.