Matt Unger
Matt Unger went 4-for-4 with three RBI and a solo home run against FDU

King's Baseball Rally Falls Short in 10-7 Loss to FDU in Freedom Conference Tourney Opener

4/28/2009 7:30:31 PM

 APRIL 28, 2009
 
KING'S BASEBALL FALLS TO FDU 10-7 IN FREEDOM CONFERENCE TOURNEY OPENER
 
WILKES-BARRE – Visiting FDU-Florham overcame an early 2-0 deficit to score six big runs in the third inning and three more in the fourth to post a 10-7 victory over host King's College in the opening round of the Freedom Conference Tournament Tuesday at Lipo Field in the Betzler Athletic Complex.

With the win, FDU-Florham (20-11-1) advances to the “Final Four” of the Freedom Conference Championships set for Friday through Sunday at Bear Stadium in Boyertown. King's, meanwhile, fell to 22-14-1 and will await word on a possible bid to the Eastern College Athletic Conference Regional Championship Tournament.

King's took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning when Matt Unger and Jim Troianiello blasted back-to-back home runs over the left field fence.
 
FDU, however, would counter in the third inning on the strength on an RBI double by Dan Pregno, a two-run double off the bat of Matt Oliveto, and a run-scoring single from Jimmy Sheppard to take a 4-2 lead. King's then hurt itself defensively with consecutive errors, allowing two unearned runs to score as the Devils built a 6-2 lead.

After the Monarchs failed to score in the bottom of the third, FDU came through with three more runs in the fourth inning when Pregno drew a leadoff walk and Doug Bookholt was hit by a pitch to give the Devils runners at first and second with no one out.  After Oliveto singled to load the bases, Sheppard lofted a sacrifice fly to center to bring home Pregno, giving FDU a 7-2 lead. Marc Hubbert followed with an RBI single before Matt Joiner came through with a one-out sacrifice fly to left field to bring in Oliveto from third base for a 9-2 FDU lead.

King's would not score again until the seventh inning when Gracjan Kraszewski and Eric Matula delivered back-to-back singles. Matt Unger then stroked a one-out RBI single to left field to plate Kraszewski, bringing the score to 9-3.

The score would remain the same until the top half of the ninth inning when Sheppard gave the Devils a 10-3 lead with a solo shot over the left field fence.
 
King's would attempt to rally in the bottom of the ninth when Matula singled and scored on a triple to right centerfield by Jon Venarchick. Unger would then single to right field to bring home Venarchick, cutting the Devil lead to 10-5. Brian Mikus then doubled to left field, advancing Unger to third before Matt Feci drove in both runners with a double to bring the Monarchs to within 10-7 with one out. But Mike Fignar popped out to shortstop and Pat Harsch flied out to centerfield to end the game.

King's fell despite outhitting the Devils 17-12 but stranded 11 runners compared to six for FDU. Unger led King's by going 4-for-4 with three RBI and scored two runs. Venarchick, who posted a King's single-season record 67th base hit in the game, was 3-for-5 with one run and one RBI while Matula was also 3-for-5 with a run scored. Kraszewski finished 2-for-5 with a run. King's starting pitcher Tommy Rozelle (2-3) took the loss, allowing six runs, four earned, on six hits. Rozelle struck out three batters and walked two in two and two-thirds innings. Dan Jenkins, the third of four King's pitchers, was most effective, allowing just three hits and four-and-two thirds of relief.

Oliveto paced the Devils by going 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBI while Sheppard finished 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Joiner was 2-for-4 with a RBI while Hubbert was 2-for-5 with one RBI and a run scored. FDU starting pitcher Jake Hazen improved to 5-0 on the year with the victory, allowing two earned runs on nine hits in six full innings of work.

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