CHESTER, Pa. – A six-run fourth for Widener proved costly as the Albright Lions baseball team (7-16, 4-8 MACC) dropped the series finale to the Pride (10-17-1, 4-8 MACC) by a score of 8-5 on Sunday afternoon at Widener Baseball Field in Chester.
Widener's Stephen DeBellis hit his MAC Commonwealth leading sixth home run of the season to break a four-all tie and give the Pride the lead for good in the afore-mentioned six-run fourth. The Pride had tied the game at four earlier in the inning on an RBI single from Tommy McParland and an RBI double from Nick D'Alessandro.
Freshman RHP
Willie Kimmel III (1-2) was dealt the loss for the Lions after giving up six runs (five earned) on seven hits while walking one in 3 1/3 IP. Kade Jones (1-3) gave up five runs on nine hits to go along with nine strikeouts over 5 1/3 IP and got the win for Widener, while James Dougherty fanned a pair over 3 1/3 scoreless IP of relief to notch his first save.
The Lions struck first with four runs in the first as they started the inning with back-to-back singles to set the stage for an RBI double from freshman
Jeremy Brubaker and a two-run double from classmate
Josh Jacavage and a throwing error charged to Widener RF Matt Samson allowed the fourth run of the inning to score. The Pride got solo runs back in the second and third to cut the lead in half at 4-2. Jacavage hit his second home run of the season with a solo shot in the top of the sixth, but head coach Jeff Feiler's squad was unable to get any closer than 8-5 the rest of the way. The Lions had their chances in the game as they left eight men on base.
The quartet of Jacavage (2-4, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, R), junior
Jimmie Gentry (2-5, R), freshman
Lew Meringo (2-4, 2B) and senior
Jack Shevlin (2-3, BB, R) combined to record eight of the Lions' 12 hits on the afternoon. Sophomore RHP
Ryan Kalinich (2.1 IP, 4 H, K), senior LHP
Daron Pijanowski (0.2 IP, 2 H) and freshman RHP
Dan Stofko (1.0 IP, K) combined to toss four shutout innings of relief for Albright.
The Lions return home to host Delaware Valley in non-conference action on Tuesday, April 9 at Kelchner Field. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.
