WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Washington & Jefferson College baseball managed their first walk-off victory of the season on their first day of their spring break week at the RussMatt Invitational. W&J bested Mitchell in the bottom of the ninth with a walk off hit to take a 7-6 victory.
 
Jacob LaDuca (Clarence, N.Y./Canisius) and Drew Garth (Glenshaw, Pa./North Hills) led the team in the batter's box with three hits each. LaDuca smacked two doubles on the day while Garth wrapped the evening with two runs batted in. Brian Feldman (Gibsonia, Pa./Eden Christian Academy) picked up two hits with two RBI and one double. Josh Dezenzo (Alliance, Ohio/Marlington), Zac Stern (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour), Jack Anderson (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum), Brendan Cruz (Carnegie, Pa./Chartiers Valley) and Brody Bartenstein (Corning, N.Y./Corning-Painted Post) all finished with a hit on the day. Anderson logged a hit in his first collegiate at bat.
 
W&J got on the board first with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first inning by Dezenzo which scored LaDuca from third, 1-0.
 
The Mariners put up three runs in the top of the third to gain their first lead of the game. A single through the right side of the infield drew in the final two runs of the inning, 3-1.
 
The contest remained knotted at three until the bottom of the fifth. Garth got on base to lead off the inning with a walk followed by a single by Dezenzo. A failed pickoff attempt throwing error from the Mitchell pitcher advanced Garth to third. A sacrifice fly by Stern scored Garth from lead, giving the Presidents a 4-3 lead.
 
The Presidents followed suit in the bottom of the sixth, adding a would-be insurance run. Bartenstein made his way around the bases off a single, sacrifice bunt by John Klein (Vienna, Va./Madison) and flyout by LaDuca. A single from Garth which scored Bartenstein from third, 5-3.
 
Mitchell even the score again in the top of the eighth with a two-run inning. In the top of the ninth, the Mariners took the lead heading into the bottom of the ninth, 6-5.
 
A pivotal ninth inning, senior captain set the tone with a double over the left fielders positioning. Garth batted in LaDuca to tie the game at six quickly after. Pinch running for Garth, Paddy Herjack (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) got in scoring position by stealing second. Feldman flew out to advance Hernjack to third with two outs. Stern stepped up for W&J with a walk-off dribbler up the middle of the infield to score Hernjack from third for W&J's third victory of the season.
 
Ethan Marszalek (Katy, Texas/Seven Lakes) got the start, pitching a respectable 6.2 innings of work, fanning seven batters. Jake Stiehl (Reston, Va./South Lakes) picked up the win with one inning of work with one strikeout.
 
W&J returns to action for more spring break action Monday (March 10) for a doubleheader against Marymount in Davenport, Fla. The two-game day is set to start at 4:15 p.m.