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The SVC baseball team earned a pair of victories in Presidents' Athletic Conference action, defeating Chatham University by scores of 5-4 and 5-3.

In game one, the Bearcats came back from a three-run deficit to win 5-4 on a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the 9th inning.  In game two, Matt Evans earned the win with a strong relief performance as Matt Morrone provided a 2-run double and Bobby Finn hit his PAC-leading 8th home run of the year to lift the team to the win.

Chatham took the lead in the second inning of game one, scoring an unearned run off SVC starter Matt Whittaker.  The Bearcats answered back in the bottom of the inning, with an unearned run of their own.  Eddie Kilkeary reached on a two-base error to lead off, moved to third on a groundout by Ramon Milke.  Kilkeary then scored on a sacrifice fly by Patrick McElfish.

A controversial play led to three unearned runs in the third inning for the Cougars.  After a pair of singles put runners at the corners, a fly ball to right resulted in an error that brought home a run and put runners at second and third.  The Bearcats contended that the ball had been caught, then the drop came as the fielder tried to take the ball out of his glove.  However, the umpires ruled the ball had not been caught, putting two runners in scoring position with Chatham up, 2-1.  A double then brought home both runners, making it a 4-1 game.

SVC got a run back in the fourth.  Kilkeary singled and later scored on an infield single by Joe Rudzinski.  In the 6th, Chatham had runners at the corners after a single, a sacrifice and another base hit.  Ben Davis then came on in relief of Whittaker, and Chatham attempted a suicide squeeze bunt that resulted in a missed bunt and the runner at third being thrown out.  Davis then got out of the inning with a groundout, keeping the score at 4-2. 

In the 7th, the Bearcats closed the gap yet again.  Stone Holtzman drew a one-out walk, then moved to second on a wild pitch.  Bobby Finn then hit a deep fly ball to left center, deep enough for Holtzman to tag and move to third.  However, the outfielder slipped, and Holtzman was waved in, making it a 4-3 game.

With two outs in the 8th inning, Shane Fajt doubled and then scored on a Tanner Yard single, tying the game, 4-4.  

After Davis worked a 1-2-3 top of the 9th, Morrone led off the bottom of the 9th by drawing a walk.  Finn then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the potential winning run to second.  After Kilkeary was intentionally walked, Nick LaCava drew a walk to load the bases.  Rudzinski then worked a full count and drew ball four, ending the game with a walk-off base on balls.  

Davis (1-2) went the final 3 2/3 innings without giving up a hit, striking out two, to earn the win.  Whittaker ended up with a no-decision, but worked 5 1/3 innings without giving up an earned run.  Holtzman and Rudzinski each had two hits.

In game two, SVC scored in the bottom of the first, as Holtzman singled and later scored on an RBI single by Finn.  Bearcat starter Ryan Augustine retired the first 8 batters he faced, and the 1-0 lead held until the 4th inning. In the 4th, Chatham scored twice on four hits.  Chatham added a run in the 5th, chasing Augustine, with Evans coming on in relief.

Down 3-1, the Bearcats went to work in the bottom of the 5th.  TJ Dailey led off with a walk, then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Fajt.  Yard then reached on an error, and Holtzman was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  That set up Morrone's game-tying double, and Kilkeary followed with a sacrifice fly that plated Holtzman, putting SVC in front, 4-3.

It remained a one-run game until the bottom of the 8th, when Finn led off with a home run to left, giving SVC an insurance run.

It was more than enough to Evans, who closed out the game and earned his second win of the season.  Evans went the final 4 2/3 innings, giving up four hits and striking out 4.

SVC had just five hits in the game, two by Finn.

Saint Vincent is now 7-5 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference, and 11-13 overall.  Chatham, in its first year of competition in the PAC, is 7-18 overall, 0-12 in the conference.

The Bearcats will host Thiel College at 1PM at Bearcat Ballfield on Saturday (April 21).