HOBOKEN, N.J. (March 18, 2023) – The Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team homered five times in sweeping King’s College Saturday in a MAC Freedom doubleheader at Dobbelaar Field.
Junior Christian Kreiser homered and had four RBI and first-year Dylan Fishbough hit his first career long ball as the Ducks topped the Monarchs 15-0 in the opener. Sophomore Victor Schilleci and junior Jack Irby each went deep in game two as the Ducks completed the sweep with an 11-2 victory. The victories moved the Ducks to 11-5 on the year and to 3-2 in conference play. Stevens has won five straight and has claimed all eight historical meetings with the Monarchs.
Justin Richards hit a two-run blast to account for the only runs of the day for King’s, who dropped to 6-7 on the year and to 1-4 in league play. The Monarchs have lost their last five games.
The Ducks wasted little time getting on the board against Matt Martin (1-1). Senior Ben Tobio reached on an error by shortstop Nick Ciszak and Schilleci doubled to right center. Two batters later, Kreiser drove a 2-1 pitch into left field to score both runners. The Ducks’ right fielder came around to score Chase Yochem misplayed Irby’s single. Martin lasted only three innings and allowed seven runs.
Nine batters came to the plate in the third as the Ducks tacked on four runs. Kreiser delivered the big blow in the inning, launching a two-run shot to center for his team-leading fourth homer. Sophomore Colby Ching had a run-scoring single and scored from second on classmate Evan Pravato’s infield hit when the King’s defense was late covering home plate. Pravato later stole second and third but was stranded when Tobio grounded out two batters later. Speed was certainly a key ingredient in the Ducks’ offensive efforts as they stole four bases in game one and added another six in game two.
King’s made a pitching change at the start of the fourth, but that did little to slow down the surging offense of the home team. In a lengthy inning, the Ducks sent 13 batters to the plate and scored an impressive seven runs on six hits. The seven-run outburst was the Ducks’ fourth inning with at least seven runs this season. The first seven batters reached with Irby and Ching notching two-run hits. King’s reliever Aidan Mahal faced seven batters in the frame but did not record an out.
While the Ducks were on fire at the plate, senior right-hander Justin Doyle (4-2) was equally as hot on the mound. The Louisville, Kentucky native mowed down the Monarchs in order the first time through the lineup and finished the two-hitter with a career-high nine strikeouts for his first collegiate shutout.
The Ducks followed the same script in the finale, jumping on King’s starter Adin Hoderewski (1-1) for three runs in the first. With one out, Schilleci worked a four-pitch walk for the Ducks’ first baserunner of the game. Senior Michael Reyes was hit by a pitch. After a fielder’s choice erased Reyes from the basepaths, Kreiser stole second after a run-down, which also allowed Schilleci to score from third. Irby and senior Chris Davis followed with run-scoring singles to push the lead to three.
Pravato added to the Ducks lead in the second with a leadoff homer for his first collegiate longball. Fishbough followed with a bunt single and, after a pair of steals, came around to score on Schilleci’s no-doubt homer to right. Hoderewski allowed all 11 runs, including three homers.
Sophomore Jordan Fisse struck our four over two scoreless frames. Senior Ryan Shea (2-1) earned the victory with two hitless innings. Sophomore Will Staviski finished the game with a scoreless seventh.
Up Next: Originally scheduled for Sunday afternoon, the teams will instead wrap up their three-game series Monday afternoon in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. and links for live stats and video are posted to StevensDucks.com.
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