PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College baseball team (27-9, 16-4) split against the Chatham Cougars (25-11, 11-9) in Presidents' Athletic Conference play. The Cougars won a tightly contested game one 5-4 before W&J avoided the sweep with a 3-0 game two victory.
 
Chatham 5, W&J 4 (Game 1)
 
Senior Luke Alvarez (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) led the Presidents at the plate in game one, batting 2-for-3. Alvarez also walked, scored a run, and drove in two. Junior Andrew Miko (Portage, Pa./Portage) also batted 1-for-3 and drove in a run.
 
The Presidents got on the board early and took a 1-0 lead following the opening inning of play. Senior Josh Dezenzo (Alliance, Ohio/Marlington) doubled to be the first W&J runner on the basepath. Miko singled and advanced on the throw to trade spots with Dezenzo and put the Presidents' on the board.
 
Chatham responded with three unanswered runs, forcing W&J to try to come from behind. The Presidents' offense put together a rally in the seventh and eighth to tie the game up at four. Junior Zac Stern (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour) drew a walk and forced a pitching change. A single and two successful sacrifice plays brought Stern around the bases in the seventh. Alvarez recorded his 11^th home run in April to bring the final two W&J runs across the plate. That home run moved Alvarez up to a tie for third all-time for single-season home runs.
 
The Cougars found one extra push of offense and brought the winning run home in the bottom of the ninth.
 
Senior Anthony Pass (Clinton, Pa./West Allegheny) got the start and pitched 6.2 innings, recording five strikeouts.
 
W&J 3, Chatham 0 (Game Two)
 
Sophomore Keegan Carr (Irwin, Pa./Norwin / Indiana University of Pennsylvania) led the Presidents in game two by batting 2-for-4 and scoring a run. Carr also drew a walk. Additionally, Miko batted 2-for-4 as well.
 
Like game one, W&J struck first by bringing a run across in the opening inning. Carr reached base from a bunt and stole second as the first batter of the contest. Miko singled to bring the run around.
 
The Red & Black extended their lead with three runs in the fourth. A single from freshman Seth Rosenfeld (Ellicott City, Md./Long Reach) and a sacrifice bunt from junior Teddy Platt (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) scored Stern, who reached base after drawing a walk. Dezenzo found the base path for the second time of the twinbill to score Rosenfeld and close out game two's scoring.
 
The W&J defense, led by junior Brendan Cruz (Carnegie, Pa./Chartiers Valley) on the mound, held the Cougar offense hitless until the eighth inning. Chatham finished game two with only two hits throughout the contest.
 
Cruz pitched an eight-inning start, only allowing one hit and recording four strikeouts. Alvarez made an appearance on the mound and recorded a one-inning save.
 
W&J returns to Ross Memorial Park on Monday (April 28) for a single-game nonconference matchup against the Marietta Pioneers. First pitch is slated for 4:30 p.m.