CHESTER, Pa. (Apr. 5, 2017) – Seniors Bob Barnett (Glenolden, Pa.) and Nick Enos (Williamstown, N.J.) combined to drive in seven runs to help lead the Widener University baseball team to a 9-5 victory over Misericordia in a non-conference battle between two reigning champions.
 
The Pride drew first blood when Enos drilled a two-run single to right center in the bottom of the first, but the visiting Cougars struck right back by tallying three runs in the top of the second. Gavin Sudano tied the game with a single to right center, and a slash through the left side off the bat of Kenny Jarema plated a go-ahead run.
 
Widener, however, rallied to score three times in the bottom of the fourth and never looked back. Senior Justin Healey (Ocean City, N.J.) ignited the offense with a leadoff single down the line in left and scored the equalizer when junior Glenn Seymour (Eagleville, Pa.) reached on a fielder's choice. Back-to-back RBI singles by Kyle Lowery and Barnett then put the hosts up for good.
 
Trailing 7-4 in the top of the eighth, Misericordia (11-6) continued to hang around and attempted to slice into the deficit when Santo Guinta came up with two runners in scoring position. Guinta appeared to hit a sacrifice fly which was caught in deep center by senior Greg McDonough (Ambler, Pa.) for the second out. However, Tyler Holzapfel was caught red-handed by the umpire for leaving second base early for the third out, and the extra run the Cougars thought they initially had would not count.
 
After Widener used the momentum to add a pair of insurance runs on an Enos double to the power alley in right center, Misericordia did not go away easily and continued to threaten to score in the final frame by loading the bases with one out. Jarema looked to slash into the margin by slicing the ball down the left field line, but Widener's Barnett dove to make a web gem of a catch. The Cougars only got one run on the board on what was limited to a sacrifice fly thanks to the key defensive play, and Barnett came through again by tracking down another fly ball for the game's final out.
 
Junior Matthew Guarino (Jackson, N.J.) picked up the victory for Widener and improved to 4-1 this season after surrendering seven hits and three runs, which were all earned, in five innings of work. Misericordia's Zach Mason was tagged with the loss and fell to 0-1 by giving up five hits and five runs, which were all earned, over three and two-thirds frames.
 
Widener (17-5), which has won 11 games in a row, will look to stay red hot with first place on the line when it visits nationally-ranked Alvernia to begin a three-game weekend series on Friday, Apr. 7 at 3:30 p.m.