Baseball’s Offense Solid in 18-3 Conference Victory Over Lebanon Valley

(box score)

Widener's offense totaled 20 hits in 44 at-bats to defeat Lebanon Valley 18-3 at home in the opener of its three-game series for its first Commonwealth Conference win of the season.

The Pride got the scoring started in the bottom of the first inning when senior Brendan O'Brien (Coatesville, PA) was awarded first after being hit by a pitch and eventually scored from third on a wild pitch from the Dutchmen's starting pitcher Derek Brousseau (0-2).

In the next inning Widener put six runs on the board by putting 10 batters up to the plate. Third baseman Matt Hone (Newtown, PA) led the inning off and was hit by the first pitch and was moved to third with a two-strike double down the left-field line from Marc Noyalis (Dallas, PA). Both men easily scored on a double up the middle from junior Michael Riverso (Philadelphia, PA), who was picked off at second after overstepping the bag. Sophomore shortstop Matt Scherer (Havertown, PA) got things started again by drawing a two-out walk and advanced to second on a single to right field hit by second baseman Kyle Summers (Mohnton, PA). Leadoff man Sam Christie (Upper Darby, PA) hit a ball to the third baseman, but Andrew Wooley could not control it and was given an error. With the bases loaded and one out, O'Brien pulled through and hit a ball up the middle that scored both Scherer and Summers. Freshman outfielder Alec O'Dell (Edgewood, MD) hit a double to left-center field to easily score Christie, but was picked off at second base in similar fashion to Riverso. Senior catcher Dennis Hocker (Coral Springs, FL) hit a ball to the third baseman that would have ended the inning, but it was misfielded and O'Brien scored the sixth and final run of the inning before Hone grounded out to third.

Starting pitcher for the Pride, Nicholas Moeltner (Orefield, PA) held Lebanon Valley to no runs up until the sixth inning when back-to-back fielding errors, one hit and a fielder's choice allowed the Dutchmen to score its first run.

Widener (4-6, 1-0 CC) turned around to tack on five more runs in the bottom half of the sixth on four hits and one error. All five runs were unearned.

Lebanon Valley (3-8, 0-1) scored two more runs in the eighth inning on two hits, but was eventually shut down by solid pitching and Pride defense. In its last chance effort, the Dutchmen put its first two batters on base with two hits in the ninth inning, but closing pitcher Charles Kaenzig (Mullica Twp., NJ) retired the next three hitters with his first and second collegiate strike outs and a great play from third baseman Hone to end the game.

Widener's line-up had solid offense all around, combining for 20 hits and 16 RBI. O'Brien finished the day with two hits in three at-bats, three runs and two RBIs. Noyalis was a force at the plate, hitting 3-for-6 with three runs and three RBIs. Hone and Riverso each had three RBIs and Scherer had two.

Moeltner (1-1) was credited with his first win of the season after giving up just one unearned run on four hits and striking out four with no walks over seven innings. Widener's three relief pitchers, James Liscio (Washington Twp., NJ), Kevin Scisorek (Hillsborough, NJ) and Kaenzig combined for two innings of work, giving up just four hits and two runs.

Widener will travel to Annville, PA on Sunday to complete the series with Lebanon Valley with the doubleheader beginning at noon.

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