AUBURNDALE, Fla. – A four-run sixth inning propelled the Gannon baseball team to a 7-6 victory in the opening game of a doubleheader against West Virginia Wesleyan Tuesday afternoon at the Russ-Matt Invitational. However, the Bobcats salvaged a split with a 13-5 win during the nightcap.
Michael Tomko (Sharon, Pa./Sharon) continued his early-season hot streak with an inside-the-park home run that scored two runs during the top of the fourth inning. It represented his second round tripper of the week.
West Virginia Wesleyan responded with a three-spot during the bottom of the inning, but Gannon grabbed the lead right back with a single run in the fifth and a game-deciding four-run outburst in the sixth.
Gannon manufactured the tying run in the fifth inning.
Mark DeVita (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) led off the frame with a double down the leftfield line. The redshirt freshman moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a wild pitch.
Tomko was again in the middle of the sixth-inning explosion. The senior led off the inning with a triple to center field.
Jeff Bellanca (Grand Island, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute) followed with an RBI single to put the Golden Knights in front 4-3. The Golden Knights added three insurance runs on an
Eric Bradley (Mount Pleasant, Pa./Mount Pleasant) RBI double, a
Nico Baldelli (Ellwood, Pa./Riverside) RBI double and a wild pitch.
And the insurance runs were needed because West Virginia Wesleyan rallied with three runs of its own during bottom of the inning. With the tying run on second base,
Ty Watson (Aurora, Ohio/Aurora) came out of the bullpen and put of the fire with an inning-ending ground-out. He then performed the same feat during the bottom of the seventh, inducing a game-ending grounder back to the mound with the tying run at second base.
Tomko was the offensive fireplug in game one. The senior finished 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs. Bellanca went 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI. Seven different Golden Knights recorded a hit.
Matt Tobin (Erie, Pa./Mercyhurst Prep) picked up the victory with 5 2/3 innings of work during his first appearance of the season. The sophomore lefthander allowed three earned runs while scattering 12 hits. He struck out four and walked one. Watson earned his first career save with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. He didn't allow a hit, struck out two and walked two.
In the nightcap, West Virginia Wesleyan jumped on Gannon early with eight runs during its first two at-bats. The Golden Knights tried to get back into the game when
Aaron Cox (Dorchester, N.J./Millville) belted a two-run shot to center field, his second homer of the trip.
Tomko drew a bases-loaded walk during the fifth inning, before Baldelli's two-run homer in the sixth capped Gannon's scoring. West Virginia Wesleyan posted one run in the fourth, two runs during the fifth and two more in the sixth.
Baldelli recorded three of Gannon's eight hits during the second game. The redshirt senior catcher scored twice and drove in two runs.
Shayne Herold (LeRoy, N.Y./LeRoy) made his third consecutive scoreless relief appearance, setting down the Bobcats in order during the seventh inning.
Gannon moved to 3-3 with Tuesday's split. West Virginia Wesleyan is now 2-7. The Golden Knights have an off day on Wednesday. The squad continues play at the Russ-Matt Invitational Thursday, March 7 against Notre Dame (Ohio). The twinbill is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
