WASHINGTON, Pa. –
Dante Dalesandro (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mount Lebanon) played the hero role in both games of a nonconference doubleheader with La Roche, notching two walk-off hits to propel the Washington & Jefferson baseball team to 8-7 and 1-0 wins on Sunday afternoon.
Dalesandro's first walk-off hit came in the bottom of the seventh inning of game one with the score tied 7-7, two outs and runners on first and second when he lined a 3-1 pitch up the middle into the center field.
Joey Bolick (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland), who entered as a pinch runner after
Mark Merlino (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) walked, raced home to beat the throw and give the Presidents the 8-7 victory.
W&J trailed by a 7-2 score to enter the seventh inning, however, when the rally began with Dalesandro leading off the inning with a walk. Two batters later,
Luke Zahren (Ingomar, Pa./North Allegheny) singled Dalesandro around to third base, who then scored on a single to center field by
Mullen Socha (Independence, Ohio/St. Ignatius). With runners on first and second,
Dan Trettel (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) reached on an infield single and advanced to second on a throwing error by the third baseman, allowing the runners ahead of Trettel to advance an extra base and bring Zahren across home.
Now down 7-4 with one out and two runners in scoring position,
Ryan Sciullo (Vandergrift, Pa./Kiski Area) squared up a 2-1 pitch and lifted it out over the left-center field fence to tie the game at seven runs a side to set up Dalesandro's dramatic game-winning hit.
The Presidents scored their first two runs of the game in the first inning but did not record a hit as W&J took advantage of three La Roche errors to scratch two runs across the plate.
The Redhawks came back with one run in the second, two in the third and three in the fourth to build a 6-2 lead before adding their final run in the top of the sixth inning.
In game two, both teams were deadlocked in a pitcher's duel as the seven-inning regulation game ran into the bottom of the tenth scoreless.
James Artale (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston) led the frame off with a double to right-center field on a 3-1 count to give the Presidents a runner in scoring position with nobody out. The next hitter was Dalesandro who stepped up to the plate and fouled off a couple pitches before lining the 2-2 offering past the outstretched arm of the La Roche second baseman and into right field. Artale raced around third base and slid home safely to narrowly beat the throw and score the winning run.
Dalesandro finished the day hitting 2-for-6 over the two games, with both hits being the game-winners, in addition to walking once, scoring once and adding a couple defensive highlights as well to keep both games close.
Sciullo led the Presidents with four hits in seven at-bats with his home run being his first of the season and the 11th of his career to go along with three RBI, two runs and a walk. Zahren collected two hits in the second game, including a triple down the right-field line in the fifth inning.
Santino Platt (Pittsburgh, Pa./OLSH) started game one for the Presidents and earned a no decision after going 4.0 innings and allowing six runs (two earned) on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts.
Mitchell Taufer (Washington, Pa./Bishop Canevin) (1-0) earned his first career win in the game as the junior right-hander tossed 3.0 innings and allowed one earned run on three hits with no walks and three strikeouts.
In game two, sophomore
Ben Marsico (Bradfordwoods, Pa./North Allegheny) scattered five hits over seven shutout innings with no walks and five strikeouts before exiting the game.
Clay Martin (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) got the nod for the eighth and ninth innings and also did not allow a run while recording five of six outs via strikeout.
Will Bowser (Burgettstown, Pa./Madonna (W.Va.)) (1-0) was the winning pitcher after throwing a perfect top of the tenth inning with one strikeout.
The Presidents will be back on the diamond on Monday, March 12, for a 3:00 p.m. game against Point Park at Ross Memorial Park.
Highlights:
Sciullo's clutch game-tying home run in the seventh inning of game one
Dalesandro squares up this offering to win the first game, 8-7, and complete the comeback
Dalesandro does it again in the bottom of the tenth of game two
