Box score
CARLISLE, Pa. – The University of Scranton baseball team scored three times in the top of the ninth inning to tie the ballgame, but Dickinson College had the last say, scoring in the bottom of the ninth for a 5-4 victory over the Royals on Thursday afternoon.
Scranton (1-6) overcame a 4-0 deficit after five innings by scoring once in the seventh and three times in the top of the ninth, but ultimately the Royals suffered their third walk-off loss of the season.
Dickinson (3-10) scored once in the first inning, twice in the third and once more in the fifth to build a 4-0 lead. But the Royals began their comeback in the top of the sixth when senior outfielder Zach Dignam (Bridgewater, N.J./Immaculata) led off with a double and later scored on a sacrifice fly by senior first baseman Ross Danzig (Clarks Green, Pa./Abington Heights/Blair Academy, N.J.).
The Royals' continued the comeback in the ninth with freshman Patrick Mergel (Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic) walked and fellow freshman Seth Bower (Newtown Square, Pa./Marple Newtown) followed with a single to put runners on the corners. Junior catcher Dominick Gulius (Laflin, Pa./Coughlin) followed with a single to drive in Mergel and cut the deficit to 4-2.
After a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third with one out, freshman center fielder Tommy Trotter (Cranford, N.J./Cranford) followed with an RBI ground out, putting the tying run on third with two outs. Sophomore shortstop Patrick O'Dell (Harleysville, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) followed with a walk, and when ball four got past the catcher for a wild pitch, Gulius scampered home to tie the game.
But, Dickinson answered in the bottom of the ninth when the leadoff hitter reached on an error, stole second and went to third when the throw bounced into the outfield. The Devils then won it with a single through the drawn in infield defense.
Dignam doubled twice and scored a run, Trotter finished with a double and an RBI, and four Scranton relievers – seniors Michael Villegas (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) and Josh Bayzick (Sugarloaf, Pa./Hazleton Area), and sophomores Michael Haag (Ossining, N.Y./Ossining/Brighton Academy) and Sean McNamara (Scarsdale, N.Y./Fordham Prep) each threw a scoreless inning of relief.
The Royals will be back in action on Sunday, March 22, when they open Landmark Conference play with a doubleheader against Moravian at noon in Bel Air, Md.
--ROYALS--
