By Anthony Socrates, Sports Information Intern
 
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson baseball team swept a Presidents' Athletic Conference doubleheader at Westminster Wednesday with a score of 1-0 in the first game and 9-3 in the second.
 
Game one of the twinbill featured efficient pitching and above average defense as both teams combined to account for just six hits and no RBIs.
 
The only run of the game came from an error by Westminster's catcher to plate Michael Ruffing in the top of the sixth inning.
 
Ruffing started things off by singling to left field and later advanced to second thanks to a sacrifice bunt by Adam LaRue. In the next at bat, Derek Helbing grounded out to second to advance Ruffing to third. Nick Vento struck out swinging, but would reach first safely on a dropped third strike paired with an error on the play, allowing Ruffing to score.
 
Bryce Schnatterly picked up the win after allowing only four hits, four walks and recording three strikeouts in six shutout innings of work, to improve his record to 2-1 on the year. Derek Helbing earned his fourth save giving up no hits and walking only one batter. The four saves this year are already tied for third on the single-season W&J list.
 
In the second game, W&J would strike first on a sacrifice fly. LaRue started things off in the top of the fourth with a single to first and shortly after, stole second. In the next at bat, Ruffing flew out to right field, advancing LaRue to third. Vento would aid the Presidents with a sacrifice fly, putting W&J in the lead 1-0.
 
The Titans answered by tying the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth.
 
In the top of the fifth, W&J regained the lead, 2-1, thanks to a Justin Zak RBI after grounding out to the shortstop.
 
The Presidents would extend their lead with a pair of RBI doubles by Vento and Frank Fortunato, respectively, to bring the score to 4-1.
 
In the top of the seventh, Ruffing would walk with the bases loaded to score Dan Trettel making the score 5-1. In the next at bat Vento increased the lead to 7-1 with a ground-rule double to left field. W&J would continue the scoring onslaught with Fortunato reaching safely on an error by the shortstop, allowing Ruffing to score. The Red and Black concluded the scoring with a sacrifice fly from Ryan Sciullo, making the score 9-1, to score Dante Dalesandro.
 
Westminster would rally to cut W&J's lead to 9-3 but was unable to make up the lost ground.
 
Riley Groves gave up five hits, one earned run and recorded three strikeouts in five innings of work to improve his record to 3-2 on the year. Joe Vita earned the save after giving up only two hits and two earned runs in the final two innings.
 
The Presidents move to 10-7 overall and 5-3 in the PAC this season.
 
W&J will travel to Marietta, Ohio to take on Marietta in a nonconference doubleheader Sunday, April 10, with the first game slated to start at 1 p.m.