WASHINGTON, Pa. -- Washington & Jefferson sent its seniors out with a pair of home victories to complete the season sweep over Geneva, posting 4-0 and 3-1 wins at Ross Memorial Park.
With the victories, the Presidents close the book on the regular season with a 25-14 record and 16-8 showing in the Presidents' Athletic Conference. W&J clinched the fourth seed in next week's PAC Championship and will take on top seed an host Thomas More on Thursday, May 7, at a time TBA.
In the opener, senior
Jared Baird (4-3) was sensational, turning in his second straight shutout and setting a career high with 10 strikeouts. He allowed just one hit, a single through the left side to open the game and walked two. It was the league-leading eighth shutout of the season for the W&J pitching staff.
Nick Vento and
Jake Gordon got W&J on the board in the bottom of the first with RBI singles. In the fourth,
Cory Bauer recorded an RBI single to extend the lead to 3-0 and later capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the sixth.
Bauer drove in two of the four runs with a 1-for-2 showing.
Derek Helbing finished 2-for-2 with a walk and pair of runs scored.
W&J did all of its damage in the bottom of the first inning of game two, plating three runs on an RBI ground out by Vento, an RBI single by
Kyle Smith and sac fly by
Ryan Sciullo.
Geneva scored their lone run of the day in the third inning on an RBI single by Ryan McGonigle.
Joe Vita (4-2) picked up the win in relief, working 4.0 innings of one hit baseball while allowing just one run.
Tyler Dean used his first start of the season to work the opening frame without allowing a hit, and
Alex Carr pitched the second and gave up just one hit.
Tim Mulvey earned his second save with a perfect seventh inning, including a strike out.
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