ASTON, Pa. – The Neumann University Baseball team used a monster fifth inning to defeat the Stockton University Ospreys, 18-6, to start the home portion of the 2023 schedule on Tuesday afternoon.
Stockton opened the scoring in the top of the first using an RBI single to come up with a 1-0 lead. The Knights responded in the second inning taking a 2-1 lead.
Andrew Curran led off with a walk,
Isaiah Payton singled, and
Jack Valentine reached on a bunt single, loading the bases with nobody out.
Tyler Kilmer walked to drive in Curran and
Nick Glebocki brought in Payton on a sacrifice fly for Neumann's first lead of the game.
The Ospreys tied the game in the third on the strength of their own sacrifice fly. In the top of the fourth, they took the lead on an RBI single and a two-run triple, making it 5-2. Valentine walked to start to bottom of the frame and two batters later, and after a steal of second, Valentine scored as
Shawn Vega drove an RBI single into left field to pull the Knights within two.
In the bottom of the fifth,
Thomas Elgrim led off with a walk and then Curran blasted a two-run shot over the left field wall, his first homer of the season, tying the game at five. After a Payton walk, Valentine reached on an error, and Kilmer got on via a bunt single, Glebocki was hit by a pitch to give Neumann the lead. The Knights scored two more runs on an error and
Brandon Colon drove in two as well on a single and Neumann pulled away for a 10-5 advantage.
The Knights weren't done yet as Elgrim drove in a run on a fielder's choice and another score came in on a double play. Kilmer would later hit an RBI single followed by an RBI single by Glebocki and a two-run double by Vega to finally end the onslaught. In total, 16 Knights came to the plate in the inning, resulting in 12 runs and Neumann had a 16-5 lead.
Two more runs were added in the sixth when Curran doubled in Lopez and Glebocki drew a bases-loaded walk, making it a 13-run advantage. Although the Ospreys were able to score in the seventh on a sacrifice fly, that is as close as they would come as the game was shortened due to darkness.
Curran finished up with a 3 for 4 game with a walk, three RBI, and three runs scored, falling just a single shy of the cycle. Valentine was 2 for 3 with a walk and three runs, and Kilmer was 2 for 4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Glebocki led with four runs batted in during a 1 for 2 performance, also scoring twice.
Gabriel Colon picked up the win in relief to improve to 1-0 on the young season. He allowed two hits and walked one while striking out three in two innings of work.
Neumann (2-5) will be back in action on Saturday afternoon for a doubleheader against Rosemont College. First pitch for game one at Bruder Field is scheduled for 12pm.
