Baseball nipped by Spalding in doubleheader
Louisville, Ky. - Fontbonne baseball was nipped by Spalding University in a doubleheader today 4-3 and 8-7. Fontbonne falls to 6-13 overall and 1-3 in conference play while Spalding advances to 14-7 and 6-2 respectively.
Game one
After reaching first on an error, senior Nick Rothweiler advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Sean Wallace and scored on an Aaron Boyer grounder to second. Spalding answered in the bottom half with a run that crossed the plate as the Griffins turned a double play.
Fontbonne stranded three runners in the third and took the lead in the fourth before stranding two more in the sixth. Ben Greenway sent Ethan Boyer to third on a fly ball to center who scored on an error from the Golden Eagle defenseman. Greenway then homered to left in the seventh to give Fontbonne a two-run lead. Spalding singled to lead off and scored on a double to center immediately afterward. Down by one, the Golden Eagles tied the game with runners on first and third who both advanced on a passed ball. A single put the game-winning run at third and a sacrifice fly to center drove in the winning run to end the game.
Vince Santarsiero took the loss while striking out six in 6.1 innings of work.
Game two
The Griffins took a 2-1 lead in the fourth before Spalding singled to tie the game in the bottom half of the inning and followed up with a three-run shot to right field to lead 5-2. The Golden Eagles secured another run in the fifth but Fontbonne cut their lead to two with two runs in the sixth. Two walks and a single loaded the bases for Matt Tossick who recorded two RBI's on a single to left.
Spalding scored another run in the seventh on a sac fly to left and their final run in the eighth after a leadoff double and single drove in the winning run. The Griffins trailed 8-4 when they tried to make a comeback like their counterpart in the previous game. With a new pitcher on the mound, the Griffins took full advantage, hitting two singles in a row when Greenway stepped to the plate. The lefty doubled down the left field line to drive in Ethan Boyer. Ryan Schocker and Patrick Shuff each grounded out to second but each recorded an RBI, to pull the Griffins within one run, but failed to score another.
The Griffins recorded 11 hits as Greenway, Tossick and Aaron Boyer each recorded two hits. Spalding hit one more than Fontbonne as Dillon Sievert went three-of-four on the day with three RBI's. Tossick drove in three for Fontbonne as did Shuff.Fontbonne's 5-6-7 holes of Shuff, Wilson and Carel each walked twice.