ASTON, Pa. – The Neumann University Baseball team celebrated their seniors on Friday afternoon as they defeated Marywood University in an Atlantic East Conference game by a final score of 8-5.
Donovan Brooks was the star of the day, hitting 3 for 4 with a run batted in and a run scored. He also stole four bases, pushing his season total to 37, breaking the single-season program record that he set last year.
Yoan Feliz was 2 for 4 with two RBI while
Anthony Rakotz was also 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Josh Lillis got the win to improve to 5-2 on the year. In seven innings, he allowed three runs on five hits and four walks, striking out five.
Rey Carrier earned his fifth save of the season. He faced four batters to close out the game. He got them all and struck out one.
Neumann started things off in the first inning when Rakotz and
Jackson Armiger hit back-to-back singles. A fly ball moved each runner up 90 feet and Rakotz scored on a fielding error for the early 1-0 lead. With one out in the second,
Jordan Tocci doubled down the left field line. Brooks drove him home with a single to right to double the lead.
The third and fourth went scoreless but the Knights rallied again in the fifth. With one out,
Andrew Brown, Shuler, and Feliz all singled with the last one plating a run.
Blake Decker followed with a bunt base hit to score Shuler for a 4-0 lead.
With one out in the sixth, Rakotz singled and stole second. Armiger followed with a walk and
Nick Ciesielka singled, but Rakotz was thrown out at the plate. A Brown walk forced a pitching change, but Shuler drew a bases loaded walk and Feliz hit an infield single, driving in Ciesielka, making it a 6-0 game.
Again, in the seventh, Neumann put together a run. Brooks hit an infield single, stole second and third, then scored on a Rakotz grounder, pushing the lead to seven. The Knight pitching staff struggled through the top of the eighth as the first five Pacers all reached on walks, driving in two runs. A bases loaded hit by pitch and an RBI fielder's choice continued the rally that stalled after an RBI single, pulling Marywood within two runs.
Ciesielka led off the bottom of the inning with a single and pinch runner,
Brayden Fields moved to second on a grounder, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Fields scored on a wild pitch to give the Knights some insurance, clinching the win.
Neumann (20-13-1, 9-7 Atlantic East) hopes to close out the regular season with a playoff berth as they head to Scranton to take on Marywood in an Atlantic East Conference doubleheader on Saturday, starting at 12 PM.
