OWINGS MILLS, Md. – The Arcadia University baseball team pounded out four homeruns and six doubles as it recorded a 16-7 MAC Commonwealth victory at Stevenson University Friday afternoon in the first of three games between the two teams this weekend. The series will conclude with a doubleheader Saturday at Arcadia's Erny Field.
FOR THE RECORD: The Knights, who are receiving votes in this week's D3Baseball.com/NCBWA Poll, improved to 10-3 for the season after winning their MAC Commonwealth opener. The Mustangs fell to 6-10 overall and 1-3 in conference play with their fourth consecutive loss.
HOW IT HAPPENED: The Knights held an early 7-2 lead following two-run homers off the bats of senior
Jordan Draude and sophomore
Bryan Gillen in the third and fourth innings, respectively, only to see Stevenson pull back within one with a four-run bottom of the fourth that included a three-run homer from Jake Hall to cut Arcadia's lead to 7-6 through four innings.
Junior
Nick Cardace extended the Knights' lead to 11-6 in the top of the sixth after driving a 1-1 pitch over the left field fence with the bases loaded for the first grand slam of his collegiate career. Draude capped off the fireworks with his second two-run blast of the game in the top of the ninth, driving an 0-1 pitch over the fence in left.
ON THE HILL: Senior
Joseph Warren improved to 3-0 after allowing only one unearned run on five hits while recording nine Ks in 5.1 innings of relief. Dan Williams (1-3) took loss for the Mustangs after getting tagged for 10 runs on 10 hits over his 5.1 innings of work.
ARCADIA AT BAT: Gillen was a perfect 5 for 5 for the day with a homerun, three doubles, five runs scored and two driven in, while Draude finished the day 2 for 3 with two homers, four RBI and four runs scored while drawing three walks in the game. Sophomore
Luke Hohenstein went 3 for 5 with two runs scored and two RBI, while Cardace finished the day 1 for 4 with a homerun and five RBI. Freshman
Phil Pierfy was 1 for 4 and drove in three runs with his bases-clearing double in the top of the first.
STEVENSON AT BAT: Hall was 1 for 4 with two runs scored and three RBI, while Kevin Kopas was 3 for 4 with one RBI. Michael Rhodes went 2 for 3 with a RBI and a run scored.
