WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College baseball team (26-7, 15-3) continues to claim the top spot in the Presidents Athletic Conference standings with a pair of conference wins against the Franciscan Barons (9-22, 5-13). A record-breaking performance helped secure a 12-0 win in game one before following it up with a 10-3 win in game two.
 
W&J 12, Franciscan 0
 
Senior Luke Alvarez (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) led the Presidents at the plate. The catcher slugged 2-for-3 with two home runs and three RBIs. Additionally, freshman Seth Rosenfeld (Ellicott City, Md./Long Reach) hit 2-for-3. Rosenfeld also scored and drove in two runs. Senior Josh Dezenzo (Alliance, Ohio/Marlington) led the team in runs batted in with five throughout game one.
 
The Presidents got off to a strong start, bringing three runs across the plate in the second inning. Alvarez homered to left field as the first batter of the inning to get W&J on the board. Two consecutive hit by pitches set up Dezenzo to double and clear the bases. This double was Dezenzo's 20^th of the season, the most hit in a single season in W&J baseball history.
 
W&J closed out the final two innings of game one by scoring nine runs in the fifth and sixth. Alvarez launched his second homer of the game to bring two more runs across.  Rosenfeld followed it up with a long ball of his own to make the lead 7-0.
 
Junior Zac Stern (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour) sent a ball over the right field fence following a double from junior Andrew Miko (Portage, Pa./Portage). A second double from Dezenzo rounded out the game one scoring, following three walks to load the bases.
 
Senior Nate Nolan (McDonald, Pa./West Allegheny) pitched the complete game shutout in game one. The start moves Nolan into a tie for third all-time with 53 career appearances. Nolan recorded three strikeouts and had no walks. The senior put together an efficient start, only needing 71 pitches across seven innings of work.
 
W&J 10, Franciscan 3 (Game 2)
 
Alvarez and sophomore Tommy Dietrich (Davidsonville, Md./DeMatha Catholic) each led the Presidents offensively in game two.  Both of them batted 4-for-5. Alvarez brought home a team-high six RBIs and hit two additional home runs. The senior scored four runs total in game two. Dietrich also recorded an RBI as well.
 
The Red & Black opened the contest with four runs in the opening inning of game two. A pair of singles in the early stages set up a sacrifice fly from Stern to get W&J on the board in the second game of the twinbill. Alvarez cleared the bases for a three-run homer over the left field wall to secure the 4-0 lead.
 
The Barons got on the board in the third, but W&J answered with a run of their own. Junior Jack Anderson (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) sent a ball over the left field fence to maintain the four-run advantage for the Presidents.
 
Franciscan could not get the lead lower than three before the Presidents' offense found answers yet again. Alvarez recorded his fourth homerun of the twinbill to bring two more runs across the plate in the fifth. This long ball, Alvarez's ninth in April, has moved the junior up to a tie for third all-time for most home runs in a single season. Alvarez found the bases yet again in the seventh and scored from a hit by junior Teddy Platt (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township).
 
Finally, Alvarez helped round out the W&J scoring as he singled a second time to score Stern. The following batter, Dietrich, tripled to clear the bases and clinch the 10-3 victory and the series sweep.
 
Junior Bobby Budacki (New Brighton, Pa./New Brighton Area) picked up his third win of the season with 5.2 innings of work. Senior Jake Stiehl (Reston, Va./South Lakes) came and pitched 3.1 innings of relief and gave up no hits. Both pitchers recorded a season-high of strikeouts. Budacki added four to his tally, and Stiehl logged five.
 
The Presidents return to Ross Memorial Park tomorrow (April 22) for a Top-25 nonconference matchup against the No. 17/No. 15 Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.