Freshman catcher Matt Nachamie hit his second home run of the baseball team’s spring break trip in the team’s second loss to Neumann University Monday afternoon in Winter Haven, Florida.
Senior Sam Knox pitched his first game of the season, striking out five batters and giving up five runs over five innings. Relief pitchers sophomore Michael Logerwell and freshman AJ Ortega gave up five and three runs respectively, pitching one inning each.
The Lions recorded four hits and benefited from an error that resulted in runs by junior infielder Ryan McCahan and freshman infielder Thai Morgan. The Knights did not score in the first inning despite two hits and an error by the Lions.
In the bottom of the second inning, the Knights put batters on base off a hit and an error, and they scored a run.
Sophomore outfielder Quinton Copeland scored on an error by the Knights’ right fielder in the third inning. The Lions held off the Knights with another three outs in three batters.
At the top of the fourth inning, sophomore infielder Calvin Jacey advanced to first base after a hit by pitch. The following batters stranded Jacey on second base. Knox struck out the first Neumann batter of the fourth inning but gave up hits and a run to the following two. Knox struck out another batter before allowing another hit, bringing in another run to tie the game at three.
The Lions failed to gain momentum to pull ahead in the fifth inning despite two hits by Morgan and McCahan. Knox gave up two hits and a run to give Neumann the lead in the bottom half of the inning.
Despite a hit by sophomore infielder Joe Colucci, the Lions did not score in the sixth inning, the Knights pulled further ahead with another run.
In the seventh inning, the Lions recorded two hits by McCahan and Morgan, and the Knights commited a defensive error. McCahan scored before the third out. Logerwell and Ortega gave up six runs off three hits, an error, two walks, and a hit by pitch.
Nachamie recorded a single-run home run, but the Lions failed to match Neumann’s scoring. Ortega gave up another two runs, increasing the Knights’ lead to eight.
The Lions possessed another chance to close the scoring gap at the top of the ninth inning but recorded no hits.
The Lions play St. Vincent College in Auburndale, Florida, on Tuesday, March 3 at 10 a.m.
