HOBOKEN, N.J. – The Stevens Institute of Technology split a Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom doubleheader with Arcadia on Saturday at Dobbelaar Field, clinching the three-game series in a battle between the top two teams in the conference standings.
Stevens (16-10, 11-1 MACF) dropped their first conference game of the season in the opener (8-6), but regained their three-game lead on Arcadia (18-9, 8-4 MACF) with a 6-3 win in the second game.
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 1
Stevens worked two walks, a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly into a run in the bottom of the first. Still holding that lead entering the bottom of the third, Dylan Fishbough reached on a fielder's choice, stole second and took third on an Arcadia error, then scampered home on a throw down to first after a strikeout.
Arcadia tied the game in the fourth, then went in front 5-2 on a two-out, three-run double in the fifth. In the Stevens' fifth, Victor Schilleci launched a two-run shot over the wall in right, slicing the Ducks' deficit back to a single run. Arcadia pushed across two in the sixth, but the Ducks again came back in the bottom of the inning with two of their own. Frank Tonina singled in Chip Krese and Kieran O'Brien who'd reached on a single and walk, respectively.
After Arcadia tacked on a run in the top of the seventh, the Ducks brought the potential winning run to the plate with just one out, but back-to-back groundouts to the pitcher ended the threat and the game.
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 2
Stevens came to bat in the bottom of the first down 2-0, but as they've done time and time again this year, pulled out some two-out, bases-empty magic. Dylan Fishbough reached on an infield single, Liam DeRubertis reached on a throwing error, and Chip Krese walked, with all three coming in on a Jack Reichlin triple.
In the second, singles by Aaron Wong and Victor Schilleci followed by an Eli Somers fielder's choice made it 4-2 Stevens. In the third, DeRubertis led off with a single, advanced to second on a Krese hit by pitch, and came in to score on a Reichlin double; Krese came home on a Kieran O'Brien groundout, putting the Ducks up four.
That lead held into the sixth, when the Knights got a run back on a leadoff home run, but Stevens starting pitcher Justin Doyle set down the next six batters, keeping the Red and Gray comfortably in front. Arcadia loaded the bases in the eighth with two out, but David Finch came on in relief for Doyle, ending the threat with a strikeout.
In the ninth, Arcadia got the tying run to the plate with one out, but Finch ended the game with back-to-back strikeouts on six pitches, closing out the doubleheader sweep and series win for Stevens.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Doyle won his fourth straight start, during which time he's tossed 26.2 innings, allowed just four earned runs (lowering his season ERA more than three full runs), and struck out 31 while walking just seven.
- DeRubertis extended his hitting streak to 11 games, during which time he's hit .429 (18-for-42) with 15 runs and 14 RBIs.
- Finch turned in a 10th straight outing of at least one inning without allowing an earned run. His scoreless streak now stands at 13 innings, with 20 strikeouts during that stretch.
UP NEXT
The Ducks host 2022 National Champion Eastern Connecticut State University Monday evening at Dobbelaar Field; first pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.