ASTON, Pa. – The Neumann University Baseball team scored nine runs in the first two innings and coasted to an 18-1 non-conference win over Cairn University on Tuesday afternoon.
After a scoreless top of the first,
Matt Mason walked and stole second to lead off the bottom of the inning.
Joe Boccio and
Zion Spearman also walked to load the bases with two outs.
Anthony Rakotz followed with a walk of his own to drive in a run.
Trevor Balcerzak then drove in two runs with a single through the left side.
Benny Licata and
Tyler Kilmer also picked up RBI singles and Licata later scored on a wild pitch for a 6-0 lead after one.
Cairn got a run back in the second with an RBI double but again, the Knights' offense stepped up in the bottom of the frame. With one away, Boccio singled to left and moved to second on an
Andrew Curran walk. After a pitching change, Spearman blasted a three-run shot, his first homer of the season, for a 9-1 lead.
The third inning went scoreless but in the fourth, Neumann added on. Curran led off with a double down the left field line and moved to third when Rakotz singled. After Rakotz moved to second on a wild pitch, Balcerzak drove in Curran with a sacrifice fly. Licata followed with an RBI double and scored himself on a Kilmer single for a 12-1 lead.
In the fifth, with two outs, Curran singled up the middle and Spearman walked. Rakotz closed out the inning with another three-run blast, his second long-ball of the year. In the sixth, Boccio drove in a run on a double,
Thomas Elgrim scored on an error, and Rakotz hit an RBI single, to close out a big day.
Rakotz was 3 for 3 with a home run, two walks, a stolen base, five runs batted in, and three runs scored. Boccio and Curran each went 2 for 4 with a double and three runs each. Kilmer went 3 for 4 with two RBI.
JerVal Shuler picked up the win in four innings of work, allowing one earned run on two hits while fanning two.
Michael Whitmore and
Joe Longo mopped up, combining to allow two hits and two walks, striking out five.
Neumann (11-12) will resume their Atlantic East Conference schedule on Wednesday afternoon with a single game against Marywood University. First pitch at Bruder Field is scheduled for 3:30 PM.
