By Anthony Socrates, Sports Information Intern

WASHINGTON, Pa. – Washington & Jefferson split a doubleheader against Point Park Sunday, winning the first game 10-9 and falling, 16-6, in the second.
 
In the first game of the twinbill, Point Park jumped on the Presidents early in the first inning with a 1-0 lead. The Presidents answered in the bottom half of the frame thanks to a Nick Vento RBI single that plated Adam LaRue.
 
In the second, Mark Merlino walked and advanced to second on a ground out by Nick Morton. Michael Ruffing, in the next at bat, hit a ball to the Pioneers' second baseman and reached safely due to an error that resulted in Merlino coming home, to give W&J the lead 2-1.
 
The Presidents would add to their score, 3-1, after Vento hit an RBI double to right field, scoring Helbing from first.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, the Presidents continued the scoring when LaRue recorded an RBI single to right, bringing home Merlino. In the next at bat, Morton would steal home to bring the score to 5-1. W&J increased its lead to 6-1, before the end of the fourth inning, after Derek Helbing would reach on an error with two outs, plating LaRue.
 
The Pioneers cut the Presidents' lead to just two, 6-4, in the top of the fifth. Then in the top of the sixth, Point Park regained the lead, 7-6, with a three-run homer.
 
The Pioneers added two more runs, giving them a 9-6 lead, in the top of the seventh.
 
Back-to back doubles by Helbing and Vento brought W&J within two runs, 9-7, to open the bottom of the seventh. Shortly after, Vento would score with help from an RBI single by Ryan Sciullo, advancing Frank Fortunato, who walked to load the bases, to second. With one out, Luke Zahren used a sacrifice bunt to aid Fortunato to third and Sciullo to second. Zahren reached safely due to a throwing error by the pitcher, but more importantly, the error allowed Fortunato and Sciullo to score, ending the game with the score of 10-9.
 
Nick Kolat, who got the final two outs in the top of the seventh, picked up his first victory of the season to bring his record to 1-0.
 
The second game featured 22 combined runs, with Sciullo going 2-2 as well as recording two RBIs and Nick Gatins going 1-3 with two RBIs. Fortunato also went 1-3 and accounted for a run and an RBI. Vento finished 0-1 officially, but walked in his three other plate appearances.
 
The Presidents went on to score six runs but were unable to rally back, encountering a 16-6 setback.
 
Tim Mulvey went 4.0+ innings and recorded the loss to move his record to 0-2 for the year.
 
The Presidents move to 11-8 on the year with the split.
 
W&J is slated to host Westminster in a nine-inning Presidents' Athletic Conference matchup at 4:30 on Tuesday, April 12th at Ross Memorial Park.