(Game 1) / (Game 2)
Junior Dan Sieracki (Cherry Hill, NJ) homered twice and fellow junior Bill Hollingsworth (Drexel Hill, PA) also went deep for Widener in a 7-4 Commonwealth Conference victory at Messiah that followed a 6-5 loss in Grantham, PA.
The Pride (20-8, 8-4 CC) in game two scored four runs in the top of the third inning for a 4-2 lead. Hollingsworth led off with his second long ball of the season and Sieracki later in the frame blasted a three-run shot.
Widener then took advantage of three Messiah errors in the top of the fifth for a 6-2 cushion. Sieracki and senior Jason Brooke (Collegeville, PA) all scored in the inning as a result of miscues.
The Falcons (16-14, 10-2) closed to 6-4 in the bottom of the sixth as one run crossed on a wild pitch and another scored on a groundout from Paul Mellinger. But Sieracki added a key insurance run in the top of the seventh with a solo homer, his sixth long ball of the season for a 7-4 margin.
It was Sieracki's second multi-homer game and first since March 14, 2009 against Eastern.
Messiah brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, but junior Salvatore Spera (Norristown, PA) got Ryan Brown on a groundout to end it.
The victory clinched Widener's seventh straight 20-win season, extending its own team record.
West Chester, PA junior Rick Kazigian (3-3) permitted two runs and five hits over five innings with four strikeouts for the Pride. Spera got a strikeout in the seventh for his second save of the year.
Travis Thome (5-4) surrendered six runs – four earned – and eight hits over five innings for the Falcons. Drew Frankenfield rapped three hits and Jordan Snader cracked a two-run homer in the second.
Widener in the top of the third inning of game one scored four runs for a 4-4 tie. Senior Tom Mahoney (Norristown, PA) scored on an error by right fielder Jason Sprengle, Sierackidrew a bases-loaded walk and an error off a grounder from Brookescored two runs.
Messiah regained the lead, 5-4, in the bottom of the third as Brown scored on a failed pickoff attempt from Widener starter Kevin Culbert (Brookhaven, PA). But Brooke temporarily saved the day for the Pride as his two-out single in the top of the seventh scored junior Sean Saverio (Horsham, PA) for a 5-5 tie.
However, the Falcons found a way in the bottom of the frame. They loaded the bases with one out before Brown came through with a single that scored Jon Lapp for the winning run.
Culbert (4-2) was tabbed for six runs – two earned – and five hits over six innings despite five strikeouts.
Tory Arnesen (4-2) got the win in relief, yielding one run and three hits over 1 2/3 frames for the Falcons.
Widener on Tuesday visits Rowan for a 3:30 pm start in Glassboro, NJ.
