Barons Sweep Double-Header; First Conference Victories

STEUBENVILLE – Franciscan University's baseball team swept the visiting Spartans of D'Youville College for its first conference wins of the season. The Barons won the first game 11-6 and the second 22-9 in their two highest offensive performances of the season.

In the first game, the Spartans took an early 2-1 lead before the Barons heaped on the runs in a four-run third inning. From there Franciscan kept control of the game, answering every run that the Spartans scored to finalize the win.

Matt Liedel had a huge game offensively for Franciscan, going 3-4 with a double and three RBIs. Other stars were centerfielder Rocco Auteri, who went 3-5 with a double while scoring three runs, and shortstop Anthony Pontarelli, who drove in two runs while going 2-3.

In the second game, the Barons burst out of the gates scoring eleven runs in the first three innings. D'Youville got on the board in the bottom of the third with two runs of their own. However, Franciscan came roaring back in the fourth inning, scoring seven runs off of six hits. The Spartans, who struggled defensively throughout the game, committed six of their twelve errors in that inning. The Barons came back with four more runs in the fifth. The Spartans were able to shut Franciscan down in the last two innings while scoring two of their own, but it was not enough as the Barons put up their best offensive numbers of the year to end the game at 22-9.

Franciscan starter Stephen Darrenkamp pitched three innings and gave up two runs before being relieved by Dustin Pagano, who gave up seven runs off of seven hits while striking out three in his four innings of work.

Third baseman Tom Costello led the way offensively for the Barons going 3-4 with four RBIs. Kevin Marrow went 2-3 with three RBIs, while Anthony Pontarelli and Matt Pomeisl each drove in two runs. Every Franciscan starter had a hit, beating the Spartans 20-9 in that category.

The win improves the Barons record to 5-18 overall and 2-8 within the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference.

The Barons head back to the field tomorrow for a doubleheader home game against the Hilbert College Hawks.