Baseball: Raiders swept by Bluffton, 6-0 & 15-9

Baseball: Raiders swept by Bluffton, 6-0 & 15-9

(Fort Myers, Fla.) After an off day in the sunshine state, the Rivier University Baseball team returned to action this morning as they dropped both ends of a non-conference double-header against Bluffton University. The Raiders were shutout in the first game (6-0) before being outslugged in game two, 15-9. Rivier is now 1-5 on the season opening road trip while Bluffton improves to 6-2.

Game One: Bluffton University 6, Rivier University 0 (Final)

The Raiders loaded the bases twice within the first two innings but was unable to push a run across as Bluffton took game one, 6-0.

Freshman Daniel White ( Maine) threw a complete game in his first collegiate start as he allowed just six runs on ten hits while issuing one walk and striking out one. Senior Tyler Ferdinand (Middleboro, Mass.) continues his hot start to the year as he went 2-for-4 and both sophomores Brendan Sullivan (Manchester, N.H.) and Eric Maxfield (Lowell, Mass.) collected the other hits for the Raiders.

Bluffton saw Colin Gregory go 3-for-3 with two runs scored and a 2-run homer from Ryan Golden as it was enough for the win. Jack Bondy was shaky through the first two frames but managed to escape as he went on for six scoreless innings striking out two and walking five. Dante D'Andrea tossed a scoreless seventh with a pair of strikeouts to wrap up the victory.

Game Two: Bluffton University 15, Rivier University 9 (Final)

The Rivier bats would surface in game two as they banged out 13 hits but it wasn't enough as Bluffton scored 11 runs in the first two frames and held on for the 15-9 victory.

Rivier plated five runs in the top half of the first inning, highlighted by a sharp-hit two-run double from junior Jorge Martinez (Methuen, Mass.). Freshman Frederick Kazalski (Dracut, Mass.) knocked home a pair of runs with a single up the middle as the Raiders were also helped by a few miscues from the Bluffton defense.

Kazalski finished the afternoon 1-for-2 with 3 RBI and Martinez went 2-for-4 with 4 RBI and a triple. Four other members of the Rivier batting order recorded two-hit games including junior David Pappalardo (Methuen, Mass.). Ferdinand, Sullivan and Maxfield were the other three.

Bluffton's Gregory went 3-for-3 again and Lenny Winiarksi added a 2-for-3, 2 RBI night to secure the win.
Freshman Enrique Serrano (Everett, Mass.) received the loss on the mound for Rivier as he pitched just 1.1 innings allowing seven runs on six hits and walked one. Sophomore Alex DiVito (Somerville, Mass.) and Maxfield tossed the final 4.2 innings of work.

D'Andrea earned the win in relief as he pitched five innings on four hit ball and allowing one run.

The Raiders will have another off day tomorrow before finishing the Florida trip with a pair of games against Theil College and Penn State-Fayette on Friday afternoon.