DOYLESTOWN (PA) – FDU-Florham moved one step closer to clinching a Freedom Conference playoff spot as the Devils notched a 9-5 victory over host Delaware Valley College on Friday afternoon.
The win improved the Devils to 19-8-1 overall and 9-4 in conference action. They are in second place and need just one victory in their final three Freedom games to assure a berth in next week's postseason. The setback dropped the Aggies to 17-12 overall and 4-9 in the Freedom.
FDU-Florham scored a run in the top of the first thanks to an RBI single by Matt Oliveto. Delaware Valley countered with two in the bottom of the stanza as
Kellen Jarrett drew a bases-loaded walk and
Bobby Oakes was hit by a pitch.
However, the Devils scored the game's next seven runs to open up an 8-2 advantage. They tied the game in the third on a solo home run by Chris Baldino and took the lead for good on Alex Sariyan's two-run double in the fourth. Steven Seminerio had an RBI single in the seventh and his squad added three more in the eighth on a RBI single by Ryan Fandel and Dan Pregno's two-run single.
The Aggies made things interesting in the bottom of the eighth as a Jarrett walked was followed by pinch-hitter
Matt Giberson's RBI triple. Giberson then scored on an RBI single by pinch-hitter
Joel Porambo and Porambo eventually touched home plate on an RBI single by
Kevin Weingart. Delaware Valley then brought the tying run to the plate in the inning, but Devil reliever Mike Winters came out of the bullpen and got a strikeout to end the threat. FDU-Florham then added a run in the ninth on a passed ball for the 9-4 final.
Baldino, Oliveto and Seminerio had two hits apiece for the Devils while Pregno and Sariyan each finished with two RBIs. Matt Mizerek earned the win as he went six strong innings and allowed two runs and five hits.
Weingart finished 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI for the Aggies. Jarrett also had a multiple-hit day as he went 2-for-2 with three walks, a run scored and an RBI.
Sean Tappan suffered the loss and fell to 5-2 on the year.