ASTON, Pa. – The Neumann University baseball team picked up a sweep over Centenary University on Friday in Atlantic East Conference action. The Knights won by scores of 4-2 and 13-9.
 
The Knights opened the scoring of game one in the bottom of the second. With two runners on base, Matt Starchville hit a single up the middle to score two runs, his first two collegiate RBI. The Cyclones got on run back in the top of the fourth.
 
Neumann answered right back in the bottom half of the third as Anthony Rakotz singled to score Blake Decker. Centenary scored its second run in the top of the sixth. The Knights added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth as Rakotz doubled to score Donovan Brooks.
 
Michael Harless started the game and picked up his third win of the season. He went 5+ innings and allowed two runs on three hits. Rey Carrier went 2.0 innings for his third save of the season.
 
In game two, Josh Lillis went 6.0 innings for his fourth win of the season. The junior allowed two runs on four hits and struck out three. Jack Holladay picked up his first collegiate save, allowing two hits over 2.0 innings.
 
The Knights scored first as they took advantage of a Cyclones error in the bottom of the first for a 1-0 score. Centenary answered with a run in the top of the second.
 
Neumann exploded for six runs in the bottom of the second inning with six straight hits. Jackson Armiger hit an RBI double for a 2-1 game. Nick Ciesielka followed with a two-run single. Andrew Brown, Tyler Kilmer and Yoan Feliz all had RBI hits in the inning. The Knights added a run in the third as Brooks scored on a wild pitch for an 8-1 game.
 
Centenary wasn't going quiet and added a run in the sixth and then six in the seventh to pull within one, 9-8. Neumann got two back in the bottom of the seventh. Brayden Fields hit a bunt single to score Ciesielka. Kilmer scored on an RBI groundout.
 
With two on in the top of the eighth, the Cyclones hit in a double play as the batter flew out to center. Brooks threw a bullet to the cater, Jordan Tocci, who tagged the runner out trying to score. Centenary did plate one run in the inning for an 11-9 score.
 
Armiger and Brown hit RBI singles in the bottom of the eighth to give the Knights two insurance runs. The Cyclones put a runner on base in the top of the ninth but could not get another run across and Neumann held on for the 13-9 win.
 
Neumann (18-12-1, 8-6 Atlantic East) will wrap up the series with Centenary on Sunday in Hackettstown beginning at 1:00 PM.