(box score)
After falling behind in the first, Widener held Neumann scoreless for seven straight innings but could not generate enough offense and gave up the winning run in the bottom of the ninth in a 3-2 loss in Aston, PA.
With two out and nobody on in the bottom of the first, Neumann got three straight hits from the middle of its order, including an RBI double from Derrek Etsell and an RBI single from Kevin Flanigan to take a 2-0 lead.
Widener immediately got one back in the top of the second when sophomore Dennis Hocker (Coral Springs, FL) scored an unearned run with two outs. Junior Bill Hollingsworth (Drexel Hill, PA) knotted the score in the fourth with a sacrifice fly.
Sophomore Brandon McCloskey (Belford, NJ) settled down after the first inning. He shut Neumann out over the next five, striking out three and allowing just four hits over that span.
Senior Richard Brovero (Waldwick, NJ) pitched a scoreless seventh for Widener and sophomore Dom DePasquale (Woodbury Heights, NJ) struck out two batters in a scoreless eighth to keep it a 2-2 ballgame.
A one-out, bunt single by Bobby Callan in the bottom of the ninth put the winning run aboard for Neumann. Nick Martin pinch ran and advanced to second on a passed ball, and Matt Grossi drove him home with an RBI single to right to end the game.
Mike Dicken (3-2) recorded the win, allowing just one hit over two scoreless innings. Callan and Grossi had two hits each for the Knights (24-7).
Junior Dan Sieracki (Cherry Hill, NJ) recorded two hits for the Pride (20-12).
Widener on Thursday travels to Collegeville, PA to take on Ursinus at 4:00 pm.
