WESTMINSTER, Pa. -- The Fredonia State baseball team split its season-opening doubleheader at Westminster on Saturday. They dropped Game 1 by a scored of 8-7 after failing to hold a three-run lead in the bottom of the seventh. In Game 2, the Devils scored nine times over the final three innings to claim a 9-4 victory. It was also the Fredonia State debut for new head coach Frank Jagoda III.
Game 1
The scoring opened with a homerun off the bat of
Domenic Hickok in the top of the second.
With the Devils down 2-1 in the top of the fourth, they scored six times to go up 7-2. The big hit was a bases-clearing, three-run double by
Bryce Firkins. Firkins would also double in the second game.
Westminster eeked out a pair of runs in the fourth and fifth, before scoring four times in the bottom of the seventh for the walkoff win. Ian Temple had a two-out, three-run triple to tie the game. Tom Rook singled through the right side to end the game.
For the Devils,
Brayden Willats had a triple and
Cole Schraufstetter doubled.
Morgan Zientara,
Nick Syposs, and
Michael Gangloff took turns on the mound. Gangloff was saddled with the loss going two innings and giving up four runs.
Game 2
Starting pitcher
Connor Burkestone was touched up for three runs in the first, but would settle in nicely, not allowing a run over the next three innings. He would give way to
Jonah Church, who picked up the win with 2.0 innings of work while surrendering one run.
The Devils got on the board in the fifth. Following a walk to
Zachary Richards,
Nick Vitelli blasted a homer over the right-field fence.
Josh Monti drew a bases-loaded walk later in the inning as the Devils tied the game at 3-3.
In the sixth, Firkins walked with the bases loaded, then
Ryan Mettler ripped a three-run double to put the Devils up 7-3.
Andrew Tucker singled to bring in Mettler.
In the seventh,
Vinny Grazioplene delivered a pinch-hit homerun for the Devils' third longball of the day to cap the scoring.
Next up for the Devils is a doubleheader at Hilbert College on Wednesday.
