Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Pa. – Gettysburg rallied from a 3-0 deficit to force extra innings, but Widener University scored three runs in the top of the 10th and the Pride handed the Bullets their first loss of the season, a 6-3 setback in Florida Tuesday afternoon.
The loss spoiled a fine outing for Gettysburg starter Michael Sweeney (Bethesda, Md./St. Anselm's Abbey School), who limited Widener to three runs on seven hits and two walks over seven innings to come away with a no-decision in his second collegiate start.
Widener (4-2) never trailed after scoring twice in the second and once in the fourth. Pride starter Jason Brooke was working a one-hitter through six innings before Gettysburg broke through with a two-run seventh, making it 3-2. With two out, senior Matt Stillitano (Ewing, N.J./The Hun School of Princeton) and senior Dave Olson (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park) stroked back-to-back singles before junior Andrew Burton (McLean, Va./McLean) chased both runners in with a two-run double.
Gettysburg (4-1) tied it up in the eighth with an unearned run against reliever Kevin Culbert. Freshman Chris Simard (Lexington, Mass./Belmont Hill) ripped a one-out single and stole second before sophomore Mike Backus (Piscataway, N.J./Immaculata) knocked him in with a double and reached third on an outfield error. However, Culbert got out of it with a groundout to himself.
The Bullets held off a Pride rally in the ninth with freshman reliever Matt Karis (Southborough, Mass./Noble & Greenough School) on the mound. Widener got on with a leadoff double, but senior catcher Mike Donohue (Livingston, N.J./Livingston) picked the runner off second. The Pride put on two more runners with a single and an error, but Karis escaped with a groundout.
After a three-up, three-down bottom of the ninth, Widener pushed across three runs on three hits and an error in the 10th. The Pride had runners on first and second with no outs before a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt scored a run. Pat Santry then gave Widener some breathing room with a two-run single. Sophomore reliever Ryan Dwyer (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) prevented further damage, getting three outs to end the inning.
Gettysburg threatened in the bottom of the inning when senior Sean McGee (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck) got on with a two-out single and advanced to second. But Culbert ended the game with a strikeout.
Backus finished 2-for-4 to lead the Bullets at the plate. Making his collegiate pitching debut, Karis (0-1) yielded three runs (one earned) on four hits and two walks over two innings.
Brooke gave up two runs on four hits while striking out six over seven innings before Culbert (1-0) threw the final three frames to earn the win. He gave up three hits, did not walk a batter, and struck out four.
The Bullets take a day off before returning to action back in the Sunshine State on Thursday, when it takes on Augustana in a doubleheader starting at 10 a.m.
