Box Score

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Junior right-hander Mike Ciancio (Roseland, N.J./Newark Academy) struck out a career-high six batters and allowed just one earned run in a complete-game effort to give Gettysburg a 6-2 win against Dickinson in the Centennial Conference (CC) opener on Tuesday afternoon at Kirchhoff Field. It was also the home opener for the Bullets, who have won four in a row.

Gettysburg (12-2, 1-0 CC) used a balanced offensive attack to take down the Red Devils (4-12, 0-1 CC). Eight of the nine starters had at least one hit, led by senior third baseman Ben Carey (Colchester, Conn./St. Bernard), who was 2-for-4 and smacked his conference-leading seventh double of the season to drive in junior center fielder Sean McGee (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck). McGee was 1-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored, while senior designated hitter Brian Pernice (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown) also had two hits in four trips.

Dickinson senior left fielder Luke Volker led all hitters with a 3-for-4 performance. He also drove in a run. Senior right fielder Ryan Stearrett added a 2-for-3 outing and scored both Red Devil runs. |

The Bullets were held in check for the first four innings while the Red Devils were building a 2-0 lead. In the top of the first, Stearrett hit a two-out double that one-hopped the fence in center field. Junior catcher Nicholas Perkins followed with a ground ball that would have ended the inning, but a throwing error allowed Stearrett to score.

The Red Devils threatened again in the second, putting runners on second and third with one out, but Ciancio struck out the next two hitters looking to get out of the jam. He wasn't so fortunate in the third when a two-out single to right field by Volker plated Stearrett again, but that would be the end of the scoring for Dickinson despite the visitors putting runners on base each of the next two innings.

The Bullets threatened in the fourth inning when Carey led off with a single to break up the early no-hit bid, but he was thrown out at the plate on double steal attempt to end the inning.

The home-standing Bullets were finally able to break loose in the fifth. Sophomore shortstop Sam Stabert (Wynnewood, Pa./Lower Merion) dropped a bunt down the third base line for a hit to lead it off. Senior left fielder Mark Campo (Arendtsville, Pa./Biglerville) followed with a walk. Senior right fielder Chase Straub (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge) laid down a bunt to move the runners over, but the throw was wide of first base and went out of play. Stabert scored to get Gettysburg on the board. Two batters later, McGee plated Campo and Straub with a single to right field, and he would come around on Carey's double.

Ciancio then went to work on the Red Devils. He had retired the final two hitters in the fifth inning and eventually stretched the run to 10 straight. All told, he retired 14 of the final 15 hitters in the game, allowing only a two-out single to Volker in the eighth.

Gettysburg tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the eighth on RBI singles by Campo and freshman second baseman Mike Backus (Piscataway, N.J./Immaculata).

The two teams will square off again on Friday in Carlisle, Pa. The first pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.