Kyle Cox
Joe Mattis
Junior Kyle Cox recorded four hits, three runs and three RBIs during Friday's season-opening doubleheader.
9
Gannon GAN 0-1
14
Winner Limestone LC 7-3
Gannon GAN
0-1
9
Final
14
Limestone LC
7-3
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Gannon GAN 5 0 1 0 0 3 0 9 8 1
Limestone LC 2 1 0 0 2 9 X 14 14 2

W: Donnie Sturm (1-0) L: Yough, Matthew (0-1)

10
Winner Gannon GAN 1-1
8
Limestone LC 7-4
Winner
Gannon GAN
1-1
10
Final
8
Limestone LC
7-4
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Gannon GAN 3 0 3 1 1 1 1 10 12 3
Limestone LC 0 1 4 0 1 1 1 8 6 4

W: Cricks, David (1-0) L: Michael Sholtis (1-1) S: Morrison, Jarod (1)

Next Game:

vs. LIU Post

2/18/2017 | 12:00 PM

Next Game

Full Schedule
Feb. 18 (Sat) / 12:00 PM
vs. LIU Post

Game Recap: Baseball | | Dan Teliski, Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations

Gannon Baseball Team Records 19 Runs and 20 Hits During Season-Opening Split at Limestone (S.C.)

THE RUNDOWN
  • Game One Score: at Limestone (S.C.) 14, Gannon 9
  • Game Two Score: Gannon 10, at Limestone (S.C.) 8
  • Records: Gannon (1-1),  Limestone (S.C.) (7-4)
  • Location: Gaffney, S.C. - Founders FCU Stadium
  • The Short Story: The Gannon baseball team pounded out 20 hits and scored 19 runs to split its season-opening doubleheader Friday night at Limestone (S.C.) College. The Golden Knights dropped a 14-9 decision during the opener, before rebounding for a 10-8 victory in the nightcap.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
HOW IT HAPPENED - GAME ONE
  • Gannon couldn't have started the season any better with five runs during the top of the first inning. After loading the bases with their first three hitters, the first two runs came home on a fielding error. Junior Cody Callaway (Elyria, Ohio/Midview) drove home a run one out later with a double to left field. Senior Nick Restuccia (Ormond Beach, Fla./Father Lopez Catholic) then cleaned up the opening frame with a two-run single up the middle.
  • Limestone responded with two runs of its own during the bottom of the inning and cut the deficit to 5-3 with another run during its second at-bat.
  • Gannon added its sixth run in the third after junior Kyle Cox (Dorchester, N.J./Millville) led off with a double, moved to third on a sacrifice fly by junior Mike Colosi (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Niagara Falls) and scored on Callaway's single to left center.
  • Limestone generated a pair of runs during the bottom of the fifth inning, clawing within 6-5.
  • Gannon countered with three insurance runs during the top of the sixth inning. Freshman Elijah Quiceno (Berryville, Va./Stonebridge) led off with a double to right center. Two batters later, junior Matt Oruch (Blue Bell, Pa./Wissahickon) doubled home the run. Junior Charles Benack (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) and Oruch then scored on back-to-back RBI fielder's choices by Cox and Colosi. The three-run inning gave the Golden Knights a 9-5 advantage.
  • However, the flood gates opened up during the bottom of the inning. Limestone sent 14 hitters to the plate, scoring nine times to forge ahead 14-9. The big blow was a grand slam by lead-off hitter Garrett Lowery that turned a 9-8 deficit into a 12-9 lead.
  • Limestone reliever Donnie Sturn followed with a perfect seventh inning to secure a 14-9 Limestone victory.

GAME NOTES - GAME ONE
  • Six different Golden Knights recorded a hit.
  • Both Callaway and Restuccia had two hits and two RBIs.
  • Cox finished 1-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs.
  • Both Benack and Oruch - Gannon's top two hitters in the line-up - had a hit and scored twice.
  • Senior Santiago Mendez (Potterville, Mich./Lansing Eastern) received the opening day start on the mound, picking up a no-decision after leaving the game with a 9-5 lead. He allowed five runs on six hits in five innings of work, striking out seven and walking none.
  • Sophomore Nick Fuchs (Transfer, Pa./Reynolds) tossed a scoreless inning out of the bullpen.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Gannon is ranked ninth in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Preseason Atlantic Regional Poll.
  • The Golden Knights were predicted to finish third in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division according to the league's preseason coaches poll.
  • Benack was hit by a pitch for the 16th time in his career, ranking 14th all-time among Golden Knights since 2000.
  • Gannon's nine runs were its most in a season opener since a 9-2 victory against Alma (Mich.) in Fort Myers, Florida on February 27, 2000.
  • The 23 combined runs were the most during a season opener involving Gannon since the Golden Knights lost 19-5 to Armstrong Atlantic in Savannah, Georgia on March 3, 2002.
  • Restuccia recorded his 12th career multiple-hit game and had multiple RBIs for the fourth time.
  • Cox drove in multiple runs for the 11th time in his career.

HOW IT HAPPENED - GAME TWO
  • In similar fashion as the first game, Gannon went right to work with three runs during its first at-bat. The Golden Knights loaded the bases with no outs after Benack led off with a single to center, Oruch singled up the middle and redshirt sophomore Nate Cardy (Franklin, Pa./Franklin) was hit by a pitch. Cox followed with an RBI single down the right field line, before Colosi ripped a two-run single up the middle.
  • Limestone tallied its first run during the second inning, before Gannon increased its lead to 6-1 with three more runs in the top of the third inning.
  • Cardy led off with a single to center field and scored on a throwing error by the pitcher. Cox, who reached on the error, then scored on Colosi's single through the left side. Four batters later, Colosi scored the sixth run on a two-out, RBI single through the right side by junior Gregory Nicolia (Grand Island, N.Y./Grand Island).
  • Limestone didn't go away again, responding with four runs during its at-bat in the third inning and cutting the deficit to 6-5.
  • Quiceno drew a bases-loaded walk in the fourth to give the Golden Knights a 7-5 edge.
  • Both teams crossed the plate one time each during the final three innings to account for the final 10-8 score.
  • Oruch had an RBI single in the fifth and Callaway scored on a dropped fly ball with two outs in the sixth.
  • Gannon completed its scoring in the seventh inning. After two outs, Cardy and Cox had infield singles. Back-to-back walks to Colosi and Callaway then pushed the Golden Knights' 10th run across the plate.

GAME NOTES - GAME TWO
  • The top six hitters in the line-up combined to produce 11 of Gannon's 12 hits.
  • Cox led the way with a 3-for-5 night with one run and one RBI.
  • Colosi protected Cox in the line-up with a 2-for-3 showing, one run and three RBIs. 
  • Cardy finished 2-for-3 with four runs out of the clean-up spot.
  • Oruch had two hits, one run and one RBI.
  • Junior David Cricks (Gibsonia, Pa./Hampton) earned the victory, allowing three earned runs on three hits in four innings of work. He struck out four and walked two.
  • Sophomore Jarod Morrison (Hamilton, Ohio/Hamilton) recorded his first career save with three innings out of the bullpen, surrendering two earned runs on three hits with two strikeouts and three walks.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Gannon is ranked ninth in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Preseason Atlantic Regional Poll.
  • The Golden Knights were predicted to finish third in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division according to the league's preseason coaches poll.
  • Gannon has opened its last three seasons with a doubleheader split at Limestone.
  • The Golden Knights scored at least 19 runs during the last two doubleheaders against the Saints.
  • Gannon was playing its season opener while Limestone was playing its 10th and 11th games of the season.
  • Cox recorded at least three hits in a game for the 11th time during his career.
  • Cardy scored a career-high four runs for the second time in the last two seasons.
  • Both Oruch and Cardy produced their 22nd career multiple-hit games.
  • Cox extended his hit streak to six games dating back to last season.
  • Benack was hit by a pitch for the 17th time in his career, moving him into a tie with Greg Radwan (2007-10) for 13th place all-time at Gannon since 2000.
  • Cricks earned his 10th career victory, moving into Gannon's top 10 since 2000.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon completes its southern weekend trip Saturday, February 18 with a doubleheader against LIU Post at Limestone's Founders FCU Stadium.
  • The twinbill is scheduled for 12 noon.
  • Live gameday statistics will be available at http://www.sidearmstats.com/limestone/baseball.
  • The two programs will be meeting for the first time since Gannon defeated LIU Post twice during a pair of scheduled nine-inning games in Fort Myers, Florida during the 2006 season.
  • The Golden Knights rallied from an 11-2 deficit with 10 runs during their final two at-bats for a 12-11 victory on March 1, 2006.
  • Gannon completed the two-game sweep with a 7-4 win the next day.
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Players Mentioned

Charles Benack

#4 Charles Benack

UTL
5' 10"
Sophomore
L/R
Nate Cardy

#35 Nate Cardy

C
6' 1"
Redshirt Freshman
R/R
Kyle Cox

#19 Kyle Cox

P/OF
6' 3"
Sophomore
R/R
David Cricks

#12 David Cricks

P
5' 10"
Sophomore
R/R
Gregory Nicolia

#17 Gregory Nicolia

INF
6' 0"
Sophomore
L/R
Matt Oruch

#10 Matt Oruch

OF
6' 0"
Sophomore
R/R
Nick Restuccia

#14 Nick Restuccia

INF
6' 0"
Junior
R/R
Nick Fuchs

#24 Nick Fuchs

P
6' 2"
Freshman
R/R
Santiago Mendez

#27 Santiago Mendez

P
6' 2"
Junior
R/R
Jarod Morrison

#40 Jarod Morrison

P
6' 3"
Freshman
R/R

Players Mentioned

Charles Benack

#4 Charles Benack

5' 10"
Sophomore
L/R
UTL
Nate Cardy

#35 Nate Cardy

6' 1"
Redshirt Freshman
R/R
C
Kyle Cox

#19 Kyle Cox

6' 3"
Sophomore
R/R
P/OF
David Cricks

#12 David Cricks

5' 10"
Sophomore
R/R
P
Gregory Nicolia

#17 Gregory Nicolia

6' 0"
Sophomore
L/R
INF
Matt Oruch

#10 Matt Oruch

6' 0"
Sophomore
R/R
OF
Nick Restuccia

#14 Nick Restuccia

6' 0"
Junior
R/R
INF
Nick Fuchs

#24 Nick Fuchs

6' 2"
Freshman
R/R
P
Santiago Mendez

#27 Santiago Mendez

6' 2"
Junior
R/R
P
Jarod Morrison

#40 Jarod Morrison

6' 3"
Freshman
R/R
P