FDU-Florham Claims ECAC Baseball Championship
MADISON, N.J. – FDU-Florham sweeps doubleheader over Penn State-Behrend in the best-of-series allowing them to claim the 2022 ECAC Baseball Championship. The Devils finished the season with a 22-19 mark while the Lions end the season at 27-15.
This is the Devils' fifth ECAC title with their last one coming in 2012 when they defeated Stevens Institute of Technology in extra innings, 2-1.
Game 1: FDU-Florham 3, Penn State Behrend 2 – 7 innings
With a 1-0 lead going into the top of the fourth, FDU-Florham’s Dylan Hode singled to left to lead off the inning and later moved to second on a wild pitch following a strikeout. Tyler Chippendale later walked but a wild pitch allowed Hode to move to third and put runners on the corners with two outs. Chippendale later moved into scoring position after stealing second. Both runners came around to score off of DJ Gonnelli’s single up the middle to make it 3-0 before the inning ended.
PSU Behrends’ Juston Jones started the bottom of the seventh off by reaching first on a throwing error by the Devils' second baseman. Anthony Slate came in to pinch run for Jones. Slate came around to score off of Mac Ciocco’s RBI double to right-center to make it, 3-1. Chase Palmer later came in to pinch run for Ciocco.
With one down, pinch hitter Colin Hager grounded out to first, which allowed Palmer to move up to third with two outs for the Lions. Palmer later scored off an RBI up the middle by Donny Watters to make it a one-run game. The Lions threatened when Hunter Jamison walked to put the runners on first and second, but the rally ended on a ground out to end the game.
Starter Christian Capuano earned the win on the hill for the Devils to improve to 6-4. The righty threw a complete game allowing two unearned runs while fanning eight in the process.
Both Hode and Gonnelli each tallied a pair of hits in the contest. Hode scored a run in the process while Gonnelli drove in two RBIs.
Game 2: FDU-Florham 6, Penn State Behrend 1 – 7 innings
A lead-off single through the left side by Zac Bogats got things going for the Lions in the opening frame. He later moved to second when Zack Bowen singled through the left side and a bunt single by Isaac Stouffer loaded the bases with no outs. Juston Jones’ RBI fielder’s choice allowed Bogats to score and put the Lions up, 1-0. Stouffer was put out on the play at second. A double play ended the Penn State Behrend threat in the first.
The Devils tied the game up in their half of the first when Chippendale homered to left field before the next three batters went down in order.
FDU-Florham pushed a pair of runs across in the bottom of the second on two hits. Matt Nodoro started things off with a walk and later advanced to second off of Jimmy Finnerty’s single to right field. Hode’s sac-bunt moved both runners into scoring positions. Both runners later scored off of Mark Geist’s single to center to put the Devils in front, 3-1.
The Devils tacked on two more runs in the fourth and another in the sixth to make it 6-1 going into the final inning.
The Lions threatened in the top of the seventh when Palmer walked with two outs and Bogats doubled to left field to put runners in scoring position. But a strikeout ended the Lions' threat and secured the 6-1 victory for the Devils.
Nodoro paced all FDU-Florham hitters going 2-for-2 with two RBIs, a home run, a double, three runs scored, and a walk. Teammate Finnerty went 2-for-3 with a triple, an RBI, and a run scored.
Bogats, Bowen, and Ciocco all tallied two hits apiece for the Lions. Bogats and Bowen each registered a double.
Joseph Kastner improved to 6-2 to close out the 2022 season for the Devils. He threw a complete game scattering eight hits and allowing an earned run while punching out three.