ASTON, Pa. – The Neumann University Baseball team were handed a 12-10 setback by the Marywood University Pacers in an Atlantic East Conference game on Monday afternoon.
Shawn Vega led the Knights attack, going 4 for 5 with a double, three stolen bases, a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored. Both
Morgan D'Amico and
Jonathan Baker went 2 for 4. D'Amico added a walk and two runs batted in, and Baker drove in a run while score a run himself.
Brandon Colon reached four times, all via walks, adding two RBI, and a run scored.
After a scoreless top of the first, Vega was the game's first base runner with a one out single. He then stole second and moved to third on a throwing error. Consecutive walks by
Chris Balshuweit and
Andrew Curran loaded the bases for
Brandon Colon, who also walked for the 1-0 Knights lead.
Isaiah Payton followed with an RBI single to double the lead.
Marywood responded in the second inning with an RBI double, a run-scoring fielder's choice, and an RBI single to take a 3-2 lead. They would add on with a four run third, using a two-run single, a bases-loaded walk, and another two-run single, extended the lead to five. In the fourth, a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch, and a sacrifice fly made it a 9-2 lead.
The Knights started to chip away at the deficit in the bottom of the fifth. Vega led off with a single down the left field line, stole second, and after Curran walked, Vega stole third. Curran would then advance to second on a wild pitch. As
Brandon Colon walk, another wild pitch brought Vega in to score, and Curran moved to third. Payton was hit by a pitch and
Josh Finger pushed an RBI single into right to force a pitching change, pulling Neumann within five.
With still bases still loaded, D'Amico and Baker each singled in a run.
Nick Glebocki followed with an RBI double, but D'Amico was thrown out at home. Vega then singled in a run but again, a Knight was thrown out at the plate, this time it was Baker. All-in-all, six runs scored in the frame, making it a 9-8 game. In the top of the sixth, the Pacers doubled their lead with an RBI double.
Balshuweit led off the bottom of the inning with a single through the left side. Curran would do the same and Balshuweit moved to third. B. Colon drove him in on a fielder's choice, and again, Neumann was within one. The seventh went scoreless but in the eighth, the Pacers got an RBI triple and RBI single, for a 12-9 lead.
Curran led off the bottom of the inning with a walk and one out later, moved to second on a wild pitch. After Payton was beaned, Finger reached on a fielder's choice. With two away, D'Amico singled into left field, scoring Curran. In the ninth, the Knights had the bases loaded with one out, but just couldn't complete the comeback.
Neumann (15-20, 5-9 Atlantic East) and Marywood will conclude this Atlantic East Conference series on Tuesday afternoon. The rubber game will get started from Bruder Field at 3:30pm.
