By Anthony Socrates, Sports Information Intern

WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson baseball team swept Saint Vincent in a Presidents' Athletic Conference doubleheader by a score of 7-1 in the first game and 7-2 in the second.
 
Trevor Kerr, the Presidents' starting pitcher, had a stellar complete-game performance, allowing only one earned run on three hits. Kerr also struck out three as he picked up the win in game one, improving his record to 4-1.
 
The Presidents struck first after Adam LaRue and Derek Helbing kicked off the bottom of the first with back-to-back singles, setting up Nick Vento's RBI single that helped W&J take the lead, 1-0.
 
In the bottom of the second, the Presidents built on their lead by plating five runs thanks to a three hit batters and an error. Mark Merlino was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch. In the ensuing at bat, Nick Morton was also hit by a pitch. Michael Ruffing would walk to load the bases and Helbing would be the third W&J player to be hit by a pitch, which scored Merlino. In the next plate appearance, Vento was walked improving the Red & Black's lead 3-0. Frank Fortunato then made the score 5-0 as he plated two runs with a single through the right side. After a wild pitch advanced Vento to third and Fortunato to second, Ryan Sciullo would walk on a wild pitch that scored Vento, concluding the scoring in the second at 6-0.
 
Sciullo lined a one-out triple to right field in the bottom of the fifth to give the Presidents an insurance run 90 feet away. Dan Trettel reached safely on a fielder's choice to the pitcher, but Sciullo was caught in a run down and eventually scored after the shortstop committed an error on the play, 7-0.
 
The Bearcats would attempt to rally in the seventh, but would fall short only scoring a run, 7-1.
 
W&J started things off similar to the first game by taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. LaRue walked, stole second and would score thanks to a Helbing single.
 
In the top of the third, a walk, a stolen base and a single set Saint Vincent up for an RBI bunt single, that would even the score at 1-1.
 
The Presidents regained the lead, 4-1, with a three-run bottom of the third.  A pair of one-out singles by Helbing and Vento created a scoring opportunity for Fortunato who reached on an error by the third baseman, allowing Helbing to score. After Sciullo was hit by a pitch, Trettel and Nick Gatins each recorded bases-loaded RBI singles to close out the scoring.
 
W&J followed its third inning with another three-run inning in the fourth to open the game up at 7-1. The Presidents once again loaded the bases to set up for a sacrifice fly by Vento to score Ruffing. Fortunato and Sciullo were both hit by pitches in back-to-back at bats. Fortunato's HBP loaded the bases, and Sciullo's scored a run. With the bases still loaded, Trettel capped the scoring at 7-1 with an RBI single to left center.
 
W&J only surrendered one more run in the top of the fifth to hold on to complete the sweep of Saint Vincent.
 
Bryce Schnatterly picked up the win, improving to 3-2 on the season. Schnatterly allowed two runs on four hits while striking out two in 4.0-plus innings of work. Matt Heslin, 2.0 innings pitched, and Tim Mulvey, 1.0 inning pitched, relieved Schnatterly and gave up no earned runs on a combined two hits.
 
With the sweep, the Presidents move to 16-14 overall and 10-7 in the PAC this season.
 
W&J travels to Latrobe, Pa. to close out the season series with the Bearcats in a single nine-inning PAC contest at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 24.