The Fairleigh Dickinson University baseball team dropped the final game of a three-game series versus High Point University this afternoon, 16-1. As a result of the sweep, the Panthers improve to 4-2 on the season, while the Knights fall to 0-3.
Each team failed to score in the first inning. After the Knights failed to score in the top of the second, the Panthers were able to score two runs in the bottom half to take an early 2-0 lead.
The Panthers were not done scoring as they plated four more runs in the bottom of the third off of Knights' starter Ashley Bulluck (Hollywood, FL/South Broward), who was making his collegiate debut on the mound. Bulluck pitched 3-plus innings for the Knights. He gave up seven runs, all earned, on seven hits. He walked four and struck out two.
Down 6-0, the Knights scored an unearned run in the top half of the fourth when Eric Anderson (Allendale, N.J./Northern Highlands) reached on a throwing error by the Panthers' second baseman. Joe Martino (Westbury, NY/W.T. Clarke) scored on the miscue for the Knights.
Freshman Craig Warner (Coral Springs, Fla./Stoneman Douglas) came in to pitch after Bulluck gave up a lead-off single to begin the bottom of the fourth. Warner was able to minimize the damage in his two innings of relief as he held the Panthers scoreless on one hit, while striking out two.
The Panthers put the game away with six runs in the sixth inning. They tacked on three more runs in the eighth. High Point finished the game with 16 runs on 17 hits.
The Knights scored their lone run on five hits. They also committed two errors in the field.
Stephen LaForge collected two hits to pace the Knights. Bulluck took the loss on the hill. Spencer Kelly (Rockville, MD/The Bullis School), Terry Lydecker (Pompton Lakes, NJ/Pompton Lakes), and Jonathan Scott (Northvale, NJ/Northern Valley Old Tappan) all saw action out of the bullpen.
Panthers' starter Jared Avidon gave up one unearned run on four hits. He walked one and struck out nine in 4.2 innings. Zach Haile picked up the win as he came in relief of Avidon. The Panthers bullpen only gave up one hit in 4.1 innings of relief.
The Knights return to action next weekend as they travel to Port Charlotte, FL to participate in the Ohio State University Tournament. The squad will take on St. Louis University, Friday, March 5 at 1:00 p.m. to open the round-robin tournament.
