Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Ft. Pierce, FL – (3/5/2012) – Early season play continued for Chestnut Hill College baseball today at Florida Coast Spring Training. The Griffins split today's doubleheader with the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown (UPJ), winning the scheduled seven-inning opener 5-1 in eight innings before losing the second contest 3-2 in nine innings. Senior second baseman Jesse Daywalt (Phoenixville, PA) totaled five hits to lead the Griffins, junior shortstop Joe Crane (Newtown, PA) helped with two hits, two runs-batted-in (RBI), and a solid inning on the mound.
 
As the visitor in today's opener, Chestnut Hill College (2-5) put the pressure on the UPJ (4-4) by scoring four runs in the second frame of extra innings. In the top of the eighth, a lead-off walk to senior first baseman Andrew Koziol (Wilmington, DE) got the ball rolling. Junior catcher Timothy DiMonte (Downingtown, PA) followed suit before turning running duties over to freshman Nick Naumann (Bel Air, MD), who would be one of two Griffins to score on a bunt-single-error combo that forced the Mountain Cats to change pitchers down 3-1. After a pop out, another Mountain Cat error allowed the Griffins to score again, 4-1, and two batters later, Crane would single in one more Griffin for good measure, 5-1. Daywalt was 2-for-3 with a run and a walk, while junior pitcher Bob Hopkins (Philadelphia, PA) collected the win (1-1) by allowing one run on three hits and walk. He struck out five.
 
The second game saw extra frames as well, this time seesawing to a 3-2, nine-inning, Mountain Cat win. Freshman designated hitter Anthony McQuade (Lindenhurst, NY) brought the Griffins even in the bottom of the second inning with a double to left field, 1-1, and Crane ground out to shortstop gave the Griffins the lead in the third inning, 2-1, but the Mountain Cats used a hits batsman to even the score in the sixth inning, 2-2, before winning the contest in the ninth inning on a sacrifice fly. Daywalt was 3-for-4 while freshman pitcher Dom Raia (Philadelphia, PA) gave a quality start by allowing two runs on five hits. He struck out six Mountain Cats in six innings of work.
 
The baseball team continues play at Florida Coast Spring Training tomorrow, Tuesday, March 6, with a 2:00 p.m. non-conference game against the University of the Sciences.