BOX SCORE

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Senior Joey Fearer threw a complete game as SVC defeated Mount Aloysius College in the Bearcats' home opener, 6-4.

A pair of unusual miscues led to the first runs of the game.  In the bottom of the second,  Jon White appeared to hit into a routine grounder, but the ball was dropped by the first baseman.  After Greg Martin singled to put runners at first and second, Chris Winkler hit into a fielder's choice, as Martin was out at second, while White moved to third.  With runners at the corners and two outs, Tanner Master hit a fly ball to center.  While it appeared as though the center fielder made a clean catch, then dropped the ball while attempting to throw the ball back toward the infield, the umpires ruled it was a dropped fly ball.  White scored, Winkler moved to third, and Master reached second on the play.  Collin Laguzza then singled to right, scoring both runners, and giving SVC a 3-0 lead on three unearned runs.

The hosts tacked on another run in the fourth, when Martin led off with a walk and moved up on a single by Winkler.  A sacrifice bunt by Master moved the runners ahead, and Laguzza hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Martin to make it a 4-0 game.

Fearer cruised along with a one-hitter until the sixth, when the Mounties started a rally with a bunt single, which was followed by four more well-placed hits, which scored a total of three runs.  

The score remained 4-3 until the home half of the 8th, when Jordan Britcher led off with a single.  Pinch-runner Luke Fox moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by White.  After Martin drew a walk, both runners moved up on a wild pitch.  That set the stage for a 2-run single by Winkler that provided insurance runs for the Bearcats, making the score 6-3.

In the top of the 9th, the Mounties (4-8) got a leadoff single, followed by a wild pitch.  After Fearer retired the next two batters, a single brought home Mount Aloysius' fourth run of the game, but a groundout back to the mound ended the threat, giving SVC a 6-4 victory.

Fearer gave up nine hits on the day but walked just one, while striking out three.  He is now 1-1 on the season.   Winkler, Master and Laguzza, batting in the 7-8-9 spots in the order, each went 2-for-3, for a combined 6-9 performance with 5 RBI, three of which were by Laguzza.  

Saint Vincent (3-8) will open Presidents' Athletic Conference play on Friday afternoon at Bearcat Ballfield, hosting Westminster College in a 9-inning contest.