WASHINGTON, Pa. -- Washington & Jefferson did all of its damage with two outs as the Presidents ran their winning streak to seven with a 9-2 win over Bethany.
The victory gives W&J a 21-14 overall record, including a 14-7 mark in the Presidents' Athletic Conference. The Presidents have one three-game league series remaining, a weekend set against league-leader Thomas More, who has already clinched the PAC regular season title and hosting rights for next week's conference tournament.
W&J opened the scoring in the bottom of the third with three two-out runs.
Mark Merlino walked and back-to-back singles by
Dan Trettel and
Nick Morton loaded the bases, setting up
Michael Ruffing to drive in a run with a single to left and
Adam LaRue to deliver a two-run single.
In the fourth, W&J added another trio of runs. With two outs, Morton walked and stole second. Ruffing doubled down the left-field line and a bunt single by LaRue put runners on the corners to set up
Derek Helbing's RBI down the right-field line. With the Bethany pitcher in the wind-up, LaRue stole home and Helbing followed to third, 6-0.
After Bethany plated a run in the top of the fifth, W&J scored twice in the bottom half of the frame.
Frank Fortunato led off with a double to right center and went to third on a ground out by
Ryan Sciullo before scoring on
Mark Merlino's sacrifice fly. Trettel reached on a single up the middle and scored from first on an RBI double just inside the third base bag and down the line by Morton, 8-1.
The final run was scored in the bottom of the seventh when Trettel's RBI single plated Merlino who had hit a book-rule double to left field with two outs.
Trettel (3-for-4), Morton (2-for-3) and Ruffing (2-for-3), W&J's 7, 8 and 9 hitters, went a combined 7-for-10 with two doubles, a walk, a sac fly, four RBI and five runs.LaRue was the fourth President with a multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.
Bryce Schnatterly worked 6.0 innings and scattered six hits to improve to 4-2 on the year. The sophomore allowed just one run, with two strikeouts and two walks. He also benefited from 13 ground-ball outs.
Joe Vita worked the final 3.0 innings to pick up his third save of the season, allowing one run and two hits with a strike out.
W&J is scheduled to travel to Mount Union on Wednesday, May 4, at 4 p.m., before hosting No. 17 Frostburg State (Md.) at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 5.
Highlights:
Helbing's RBI double down the right-field line gives W&J a 5-0 lead in the fourth
LaRue steals home in the bottom of the fourth inning to make it 6-0
Morton's RBI double sneaks inside the third-base bag and scores Trettel from first in the fifth
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