Small and Kress Procure CACC Weekly Honor Roll Recognition
New Haven, Conn. - (3/5/2018) – Juniors, left fielder Eric Small (Downingtown, Pa.) and pitcher Matthew Kress (Lansdale, Pa.) both earned recognition on the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Baseball Weekly Report for their recent performance in a weekend series at Florida Memorial University. Small was 5-for-8 with a pair of doubles, two runs, three walks, and three stolen bases (3-of-4), while Kress (1-0) helped the Griffins split the Saturday evening doubleheader with six strikeouts in a complete game victory.
Chestnut Hill College (1-2) used a three-run fourth inning to tie the first game at 4-4, but Florida Memorial University (12-6) scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings to separate for a 10-4 win. Respective lead-off and one-out doubles from senior first baseman Matthew Owens (Cherry Hill, N.J.) and Small plated the Griffins first run of the season in the second inning and cut the Lion lead to 3-1. The home side added a tally in the third inning, 4-1, but a three-run Griffin fourth inning brought all things even, 4-4. Unfortunately the Chestnut Hill College pitching staff had trouble retiring Florida Memorial University in their next two at-bats as the Lions scored six runs to capture the first game of the series.
Looking for revenge, the Griffins performed much better behind Kress in the Saturday nightcap. A bases-loaded singled from junior right fielder David McBrearty (Sicklerville, N.J.) gave Chestnut Hill College a 1-0 lead in the second inning. After Florida Memorial University answered in the bottom of the second inning, 1-1, but a third inning reestablished the Griffins advantage, 3-1. They another run in the fourth inning and two runs in the fifth inning to take the nightcap by a 7-1 measure.
The Griffins came out swinging in Saturday’s rubber match with five runs in the top of the first inning thanks to lead-off hits from sophomore second baseman Ameir Uzzell (Levittown, Pa.) and Small and a pair of Lion errors, 5-0. Florida Memorial University cut the spread to 5-1 in the bottom of the second, but allowed Chestnut Hill College to get the run in the third inning, 6-1. Unfortunately, the Lion relief quieted the Griffin bats in the later innings. Meanwhile, the home bats rallied for eight runs for an eventual 9-6 win over the Scarlet and Gold.
The Chestnut Hill College baseball team continues their Spring Break slate tomorrow, Monday, March 4, at Barry University with a 12:00 p.m. contest versus Stonehill College.
