WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College baseball team (21-6) split with the Muskingum Fighting Muskies (20-10) Tuesday evening. The Presidents dropped game one by an 8-3 decision before rallying back in game two to win, 7-6.
Jacob LaDuca (Clarence, N.Y./Canisius) led the Presidents on the day with three hits, with two in game one and a run scoring single in game two. LaDuca now rests one hit away from the 200-career hit milestone.
Brendan Cruz (Carnegie, Pa./Chartiers Valley) also had three hits on the day with two coming in the nightcap.
Knox Meier (Tampa, Fla./Berkeley Prep) moved his hit streak of one or more hits per contest to 20-straight games with a hit in each game.
Game 1 – W&J 3, Muskingum 8
Muskingum built a second-inning 3-0 lead in game one through a windy downpour at Ross Memorial Park.
W&J added runs in the bottom of the frame and in the third in response. A
Luke Alvarez (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) double batted in a run in the second, followed by
Josh Dezenzo (Alliance, Ohio/Marlington) driving in LaDuca on a fielder's choice in the third, 3-2.
The Muskies added another offensive scoring spurt in the fifth, adding three more run, 6-2. W&J responded in the bottom of the sixth as a double by
Scout Zaas (Powell, Ohio/Wellington School) drove in a lone runner in the inning. Muskingum proceeded to coast to the 8-3 game one victory after adding insurance runs in the sixth and seventh.
Erik Streussnig (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) picked up his first collegiate loss with 4.1 innings pitched with three strikeouts.
Jake Stiehl (Reston, Va./South Lakes) worked 1.2 innings of relief with two punchouts.
CJ Leuch (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) pitched the seventh with two strikeouts.
Game 2 – W&J 7, Muskingum 6
Muskingum jumped on the No. 23 ranked Presidents in the top of the second, adding four runs to take the early advantage. W&J responded in the bottom of the third as
Brian Feldman (Gibsonia, Pa./Eden Christian Academy) scored Meier from third on a groundout, 4-1.
W&J began their late-game comeback in the fifth inning, adding one run on a wild pitch read by
Zac Stern (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour) to reduce the Muskies lead to 5-2.
The Presidents added a day-best five runs in the bottom of the sixth. Singles by LaDuca, Stern and Meier allowed the Presidents to knot the score at five. A Zaas groundout gave the Presidents their first lead of the day, 6-5. Stern scored on another wild pitch to give W&J the game-winning run.
Rafe McClure (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) picked up his first win of the season, pitching a flawless frame in the top of the sixth, allowing one hit. Cruz entered the seventh and collected his fourth save of the season with two strikeouts.
W&J remains in nonconference play this Thursday (April 17) to travel to the Mount Union Purple Raiders. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
