AMBLER, Pa. – The Widener University baseball team used a trio of big innings in the opening game of a doubleheader to split a MAC Commonwealth twinbill with the Arcadia Knights on Sunday afternoon, winning the first game 11-7 before falling 4-2 in the second contest.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED IN GAME ONE

• Trailing 3-0 into the top of the third, the Pride exploded for five runs. Brennan Taylor led off with a walk and moved to third on a double by Matt Samson. After Greg Elfreth was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Stephen DeBellis singled home a pair. A groundout moved Elfreth to third and DeBellis to second where a sac fly from Daren Wood played Elfreth, tying the game at 3-3.
• Still not done in the inning, DeBellis moved to third and then came in to score on wild pitches. With the bases empty and two out, the Blue and Gold started a new rally as Brandon Reis walked in front of Bryce Fremgen who doubled Reis home for a 5-3 Widener advantage.
• Holding on to a 5-4 lead, the Pride struck again in the fifth as Nick D'Alessandro singled, followed by a double by Wood. Reis was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Fremgen walked, forcing home a run.
• Two batters later, Taylor singled home Wood and a second bases loaded walk in the frame, this one drawn by Samson, plated Reis to put WU up 8-4.
• Arcadia drew closer, scoring two in the bottom of the fifth, but Widener put the game away in the seventh. Singles by Dylan Morrissette and Taylor and an error that allowed Samson to reach loaded the bases. A second fielding error on the next batter sent both Morrissette and Taylor home, making it 10-6. Two batters later a sac fly from D'Alessandro scored Samson, extending the lead.
• For the game, Taylor went 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Morrissette and D'Alessandro each had two hits.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED IN GAME TWO

• Widener carried the game one momentum into the second contest, posting a first inning tally as Elfreth was hit by a pitch. Singles by DeBellis and D'Alessandro brought him around for a 1-0 Pride edge.
• Arcadia countered with two in the first and one in the second for a 3-1 lead.
• The Blue and Gold clawed closer in the third as with two outs, D'Alessandro doubled and Morrissette walked in front of an RBI single from Reis, slicing the edge to 3-2.
• The Knights posted the final run of the game in the bottom of the third.
• Offensively, DeBellis, D'Alessandro, Reis, and Tommy Scharnikow each posted two hits for Widener.
• In relief, Joey Norton tossed 1.1 scoreless innings and Sean Maniatis made his season debut with two shutout, hitless frames.

 
UP NEXT
Widener is back in action on Tuesday when it hosts TCNJ at 3:30 p.m.