AUBURNDALE, Fla. (March 11) – On its final day at the RussMatt Classic in Florida, the Saint Vincent baseball team was swept in a doubleheader by Dickinson College, falling 10-6 in the opener and 8-5 in the nightcap.
In the opener, the Red Devils (5-3-1) got off to a hot start and the Bearcats (5-4) were unable to recover, while in game two, Dickinson scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth to earn the comeback victory.
GAME ONE: Dickinson 10, Saint Vincent 6
In the opener, Dickinson used a single, walk, two doubles and a triple in the top of the first to jump out to an early 5-0 lead and force the Bearcats to play catch-up the rest of the way.
Saint Vincent got one run back in the bottom of the first. Jordan Sabol walked to lead off and moved to second on a Kyle Belmont groundball. Sabol would then steal third, and, after the throw sailed wide, crossed the plate with SVC's first run.
The Red Devils added in the top of the third, scoring four runs – including three unearned – on three hits and an error to open up a 9-1 margin.
After Dickinson plated its 10th run in the top of the sixth, Saint Vincent looked to mount the comeback grail. Dimitri Gary led off with a walk, and after two quick outs, moved to third on a Kyle Belmont single. Connor Bannias would then empty the bases with a triple to make it 10-3, before Billy Perroz reached on an error to plate Bannias with the Bearcats' fourth run. After Cameron Hyde drew a pinch hit walk, Derek Hald and Jayke Saiani followed with back-to-back singles to cap off the five-run frame and pull SVC to within 10-6.
It was as close as the Bearcats would get, however, as they went down in order in the bottom of the seventh, to see their three-game winning streak come to an end.
SVC was limited to just five hits in the loss, with Gary reaching base three times, adding two walks in addition to a single. Starter Nate Davis worked three innings on the mound and took the loss, before giving way to Andrew Root, who allowed just one run on two hits in four innings of relief.
GAME TWO: Dickinson 8, Saint Vincent 5
The Red Devils again took a quick lead in the nightcap, plating an unearned run in the bottom of the first.
After the teams traded three scoreless innings, the Bearcats would tie the game with a single run in the top of the fifth. Matt Lockwich and Alex Hess singled to lead off the inning, before Dylan Schmude's sacrifice bunt attempt was thrown away, allowing Lockwich to score the game-tying run.
Dickinson regained the lead with another unearned run in the bottom of the fifth before the Bearcats came back to take the lead in the top of the sixth. Belmont, Saiani and Tristan Bedillion walked to open the inning, before another free pass to Lockwich tied the game at 2-2. Two batters later, Schmude cracked a two-run single to plate Lockwich and Bedillion and give SVC its first lead of the twinbill, 4-2.
The Red Devils answered in a big way, sending 10 batters to the plate in the bottom of the sixth and scoring six runs on six hits off of three different Bearcat pitchers to go ahead, 8-4.
Facing their last at-bats, the Bearcats looked to come back in the top of the seventh as Belmont and Bedillion were each hit by pitches, before Lockwich walked to load the bases with two outs. Hyde came through with a pinch hit single to score Belmont, but the bases remained loaded to end the game after a groundout ended SVC's last threat.
Seven different players accounted for SVC's seven hits, with Lockwich reaching safely three times, with a single and two walks.
Casey Jones authored a strong start for SVC, earning a no-decision after working five innings and allowing two unearned run with three strikeouts. Michael Klingensmith was saddled with the loss in relief.
The Bearcats will now return north and are slated to open their home schedule on Tuesday, March 14, with a single, 9-inning game against crosstown rival Pitt-Greensburg beginning at 3:30 p.m. at Bearcat Ballfield.
