On Friday, April 19, and Saturday, April 20, Stevens Baseball played FDU-Florham in a three-game series. The team won their home game on Friday with a score of 7-2 and lost their two away games on Saturday with scores of 5-9 and 3-9. These losses marked the end of a 12-game winning streak against Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU)-Florham.
The team set a strong pace in their home game on Friday, clinching a 7-2 victory against FDU-Florham. From the outset, the Ducks were in command, launching a powerful offensive in the first inning. Junior Eli Somers and graduate student Ben Tobio set the stage with back-to-back doubles, igniting the scoreboard early with a quick run. As the team batted through the order, they amassed a significant 6-0 lead in the first inning alone, thanks to a single from graduate student Michael Reyes, a walk from senior Christian Kreiser, senior Frank Tonina getting on base due to being hit by a pitch, and a two-RBI double from first-year Chip Krese to bring some of the Ducks home. Tobio also brought in a final run on a fielder’s choice later on that inning.
On the mound, sophomore Erik Sibbach delivered an outstanding performance, pitching nearly seven innings, allowing just two runs on five hits and striking out seven batters. Senior Marc Rivera contributed significantly by earning his first career save, closing out the game strong over the last two innings, and allowing only one hit.
This victory marked Stevens’s 20th win of the season, improving their overall record to 20-10 and 11-5 in conference play, maintaining their third place in the MAC Freedom standings. The win also extended their winning streak against FDU-Florham to 12 games.
The momentum shifted dramatically the following day in the doubleheader at FDU-Florham’s field. In the first game, despite an early run initiated by Tobio, who later scored on an opponent’s error, Stevens could not maintain their initial energy. FDU-Florham responded fiercely, taking a substantial lead in the first inning and eventually winning the game 9-5. Graduate student Leo Bristow struggled on the mound, surrendering five runs early, which set the tone for the rest of the game. Junior Joe Gonzalez provided some relief, but the early deficit proved too great to overcome.
In the second game, the situation didn’t improve for the Ducks. Despite an initial 2-0 lead, thanks to aggressive plays and hits by Tobio and Somers, FDU-Florham quickly equalized and then surged ahead, ultimately taking the game 9-3. Sophomore William Sotiropoulos faced challenges, allowing seven runs in just under three innings. Although junior Sean Shea showed resilience as a reliever, the damage was done early.
With these losses, Stevens’s record dropped to 20-12 and 11-7 in conference play, and their long-standing winning streak against FDU-Florham came to an end. The Ducks now face the challenge of needing a sweep against Misericordia and Lebanon Valley to sweep Arcadia to host a postseason series. The team played against New Jersey City University on Tuesday, April 23, at home, and their next game is a 3 p.m. home game today against Misericordia, where they hope for a sweep.
