DAVENPORT, Fla. – The Washington & Jefferson College baseball team completed their first sweep of the 2025 season at the RussMatt Invitational against Marymount.
W&J 4 – Marymount 3
The Presidents held on for a 4-3 opening game victory over the Saints after a late comeback attempt in the top of the seventh.
Eli Owens (Alexandria, Va./West Potomac) and Brendan Cruz (Carnegie, Pa./Chartiers Valley) led the Presidents offensively with two hits each. Cruz ripped W&J's only extra-base hit with a two-out double in the fifth. Cruz also batted in two of the Presidents four runs.
W&J struck first in the bottom of the first with the first two runs of the two-game contest. Jacob LaDuca (Clarence, N.Y./Canisius) got on base through a hit by pitch and quickly found his way to second on a steal. An error by the third baseman granted Drew Garth (Glenshaw, Pa./North Hills) a free entrance to the basepaths. A single by Zac Stern (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour) scored LaDuca followed by a ground out by Cruz that scored Garth to go up 2-0.
The Presidents tacked on two more in the bottom of the third. Similar to the bottom of the first, LaDuca got on base through a walk followed by a single by Garth. A ground out by Brian Feldman (Gibsonia, Pa./Eden Christian Academy) scored LaDuca. Quickly after, Cruz singled to score Garth to go up 4-0.
A stalemate remained until the top of the sixth where the Saints added their first run of the day.
Marymount continued their late comeback effort in the top of the seventh, tacking on two runners. CJ Leuch (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) entered the game in relief for Thomas McLaren (Mars, Pa./Mars Area) to close out the first game victory in his second career appearance. Leuch with one out, lined out his first batter and struck out his final batter swinging to complete his first career save.
Dante DiMatteo (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) got the start and fanned eight batters in 6.0 innings of work.
W&J 5 – Marymount 2
The Presidents completed their sweep of the Saints in game two with another strong performance on the mound despite a slower time in the batter's box.
W&J's four hits were spread between Paddy Hernjak (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley), LaDuca, Garth and Cruz with a hit each. Stern and LaDuca each picked up two RBI on the night. Hernjak was a menace on the basepaths with three steals, including stealing home to put the Presidents' fifth and final run on the board.
Contrary to the first game of the doubleheader, the Saints jumped out to the first lead of the game. W&J's expert defense held Marymount at bay with key plays by Hernjak and LaDuca until the Saints added the first run by way of a single to left field, 1-0.
The Presidents quickly responded with a three-run inning to take their first lead of the second game. LaDuca started the scoring spurt with a two-run ground-rule double that scored Hernjak and Rhys Arnold (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park). A ground out by Stern batted in LaDuca to put the Presidents up 3-1.
In the top of the sixth, W&J tacked on two more by way of Stern and Hernjak. Stern worked a 3-2 count to walk in a run while Hernjak took advantage of the opposing pitchers' motion, stealing home as he came set on the mound to put W&J up 5-1.
The Saints added one run in the bottom of the sixth to inch closer to a potential comeback, but to no avail as junior reliever Ben Pierce (Bel Air, Md./John Carroll) managed his first save of the season in 1.2 inning of relief while fanning three batters. Pierce got the Presidents out of two jams in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings to take a commanding 5-2 victory.
Erik Streussnig (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) got his first collegiate start and picked up his first win on the season, fanning six through 5.1 frames.
Up Next: The Presidents return to action on Tuesday (March 11) to face UMass Dartmouth in Davenport, Fla. On NERP Field 2. Opening pitch is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. start.
W&J 4 – Marymount 3
The Presidents held on for a 4-3 opening game victory over the Saints after a late comeback attempt in the top of the seventh.
Eli Owens (Alexandria, Va./West Potomac) and Brendan Cruz (Carnegie, Pa./Chartiers Valley) led the Presidents offensively with two hits each. Cruz ripped W&J's only extra-base hit with a two-out double in the fifth. Cruz also batted in two of the Presidents four runs.
W&J struck first in the bottom of the first with the first two runs of the two-game contest. Jacob LaDuca (Clarence, N.Y./Canisius) got on base through a hit by pitch and quickly found his way to second on a steal. An error by the third baseman granted Drew Garth (Glenshaw, Pa./North Hills) a free entrance to the basepaths. A single by Zac Stern (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour) scored LaDuca followed by a ground out by Cruz that scored Garth to go up 2-0.
The Presidents tacked on two more in the bottom of the third. Similar to the bottom of the first, LaDuca got on base through a walk followed by a single by Garth. A ground out by Brian Feldman (Gibsonia, Pa./Eden Christian Academy) scored LaDuca. Quickly after, Cruz singled to score Garth to go up 4-0.
A stalemate remained until the top of the sixth where the Saints added their first run of the day.
Marymount continued their late comeback effort in the top of the seventh, tacking on two runners. CJ Leuch (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) entered the game in relief for Thomas McLaren (Mars, Pa./Mars Area) to close out the first game victory in his second career appearance. Leuch with one out, lined out his first batter and struck out his final batter swinging to complete his first career save.
Dante DiMatteo (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) got the start and fanned eight batters in 6.0 innings of work.
W&J 5 – Marymount 2
The Presidents completed their sweep of the Saints in game two with another strong performance on the mound despite a slower time in the batter's box.
W&J's four hits were spread between Paddy Hernjak (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley), LaDuca, Garth and Cruz with a hit each. Stern and LaDuca each picked up two RBI on the night. Hernjak was a menace on the basepaths with three steals, including stealing home to put the Presidents' fifth and final run on the board.
Contrary to the first game of the doubleheader, the Saints jumped out to the first lead of the game. W&J's expert defense held Marymount at bay with key plays by Hernjak and LaDuca until the Saints added the first run by way of a single to left field, 1-0.
The Presidents quickly responded with a three-run inning to take their first lead of the second game. LaDuca started the scoring spurt with a two-run ground-rule double that scored Hernjak and Rhys Arnold (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park). A ground out by Stern batted in LaDuca to put the Presidents up 3-1.
In the top of the sixth, W&J tacked on two more by way of Stern and Hernjak. Stern worked a 3-2 count to walk in a run while Hernjak took advantage of the opposing pitchers' motion, stealing home as he came set on the mound to put W&J up 5-1.
The Saints added one run in the bottom of the sixth to inch closer to a potential comeback, but to no avail as junior reliever Ben Pierce (Bel Air, Md./John Carroll) managed his first save of the season in 1.2 inning of relief while fanning three batters. Pierce got the Presidents out of two jams in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings to take a commanding 5-2 victory.
Erik Streussnig (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) got his first collegiate start and picked up his first win on the season, fanning six through 5.1 frames.
Up Next: The Presidents return to action on Tuesday (March 11) to face UMass Dartmouth in Davenport, Fla. On NERP Field 2. Opening pitch is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. start.