Stevens Baseball secured a playoff berth with a MAC Freedom doubleheader split against Lycoming College this past Saturday, April 22. The Ducks dropped the first game 4-5 but rallied to take the second game 7-1.
It was also the Ducks’ senior day, and the team celebrated seniors Leo Bristow, Chris Davis, Justin Doyle, Ben Tobio, Ryan Shea, Michael Reyes, Mark DeCicco, Anthony Pron, and Josh Casado. All of Stevens’ seniors combined for multiple MAC Freedom Pitcher and Player honors, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division III Player to Watch recognitions, and All-MAC Freedom teams.
Seniors Bristow, Tobio, Shea, Davis, Doyle, and Pron have all extended their collegiate careers into summer leagues and international teams out of season. Notably, senior Anthony Pron will be heading to the Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft League on a full season player agreement this upcoming summer.
Game one started off promising for the Ducks, as they scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning. But after two innings, Lycoming tacked on two runs to tie things up at 2-2. Later in the fifth, sophomore Evan Pravato led with a single and then advanced into scoring position. In the next at-bat, sophomore Victor Schilleci hit a single down the right field line and brought Pravato home. Junior Christian Kreiser hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Schilleci as the Ducks took a 4-2 lead. Still trailing the top of the seventh, Lycoming was able to take the lead at 5-4 with a home run from Nick Hoheb. The Warriors were able to hang on and take game one.
Lycoming was coming off hot from the first game, taking the first score of the second game making it 1-0. Though Lycoming was on a roll, Stevens answered quickly in the second game with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Kreiser hit a sacrifice fly to left field to bring Davis home and tie the game 1-1. In a string of plays orchestrated by Jack Stafford, Michael Reyes, Christian Kreiser, and Peter Mastropolo, the Ducks went on to reel in four runs in the fifth to extend their lead to six. Stevens would hold Lycoming scoreless the rest of the game to claim the win.
The two teams finished up their three-game series in Williamsport, PA., the following day. Led by Irby who hit the game-winning two-run home run in the sixth inning, Stevens took the third game making their record 24-11 on the season and 14-7 in MAC play, clinching a spot in the MAC Freedom Tournament.
