The baseball team bounced back from its first losing streak of the season by sweeping Stevens Institute of Technology in a double header today at Cornell University as they beat the Ducks 9–0 and 3–1.
Senior Pete MacDaniel made the start for the Bombers in the first game, allowing only four hits through seven innings to pick up the complete game shutout and improve to a perfect 5–0 on the season. The shutout marked the first of his career.
“Pete pitched great all the way through, but Tom struggled the first four innings,” Head Coach George Valesente said. “He started to really get his good stuff in the fifth inning and then in the sixth he was really strong, back to the way he’s been throwing before.”
Junior Tom Fishback took the hill for the second game allowing five hits through seven innings of work to pick up the complete game victory. Fishback evened his record at 3–3 with the win.
“I’m finally getting back to my old self here so hopefully that’ll get us going in the right direction here again after a couple not so good losses,” Fishback said.
In the opener, the Bombers’ bats got going right away. Sophomore Matt Parsons got the Blue and Gold on board early with a two-run triple in the first inning. Parsons picked up three RBI in the game as he hit another run-scoring triple in the sixth inning to extend the Bombers’ lead.
In the second game, the South Hill squad’s bats were not as lively as they were in the opener. Stevens jumped out to an early 1–0 lead in the first inning and held it there until the fourth inning when the Bombers came alive. Fishback kept the team in the game with three inning ending double plays in the first four innings. Junior T.J. Abone knocked in two runs with a triple to give the Blue and Gold the lead.
“We needed a big hit there,” Abone said. “It was the fourth or fifth inning so we needed some runs. I was just looking for a pitch I could drive and I got it.”
The No. 24 Bombers continue their season at 4 p.m. Tuesday in their second home game of the year at Freeman Field.
