SEWANEE, Tenn. – For the first time since 2014, the Edgewood College baseball opened their season with a victory. Jonathan Roehler had two hits and two runs batted in as the Eagles topped Sewanee-The University of the South 8-4 at the Tigers' Montgomery Field. Thursday's game was the Eagles' first contest before heading to Fort Myers, Fla. for the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic.
All of Edgewood College's (1-0) scoring took place in the first three innings. The Eagles picked up three runs in the first inning, when Danny Appino singled and eventually scored when Nick Lehner reached on an error. Tim Nunn followed with a ringing double to right field which scored both Roehler and Lehner.
In the second inning, Alex Fowler singled and came around to score on Appino sacrifice fly. Later Roehler walked, stole second and claimed third on a wild pitch. That put him in position to score on Garrett Bogucki's RBI single. In the third inning, it was Roehler's turn to drive in a pair of runs, pushing home Jeff Tucker and Brodie Engel with a single. Roehler then stole second, drawing a wild throw from the Sewanee (7-8) catcher, which allowed Appino to trot home with an 8-1 lead.
Sewanee added a run in the third and then cut the margin to 8-4 on a Jared Demkowicz two-run home run in the fourth inning. However, that would be the end of the scoring as Erick Wendt and Steve Gavin blanked the Tigers on two hits over the final five innings. Sewanee's biggest threat came in the eighth when the Tigers loaded the bases with one out. Gavin struck out Nick Mancuso for the second out, but uncorked a potential wild pitch to the next batter. But, Bogucki retrieved the ball from the backstop and threw to Gavin covering the plate to cut down Riley Brandvold to end the threat.
Roehler went 2-for-4 with two runs batted in and two runs scored. Lehner and Fowler also had two hits, with Lehner adding a double. Adam Eck started for the Eagles and threw two innings, striking out two batter for the win as Edgewood College went with a pre-determined rotation of four pitchers. Blake Bieri threw the third and fourth inning before yielding to Wendt and Gavin. Gavin struck out five hitters as the staff totaled eight strikeouts on the day.
Sewanee was led by Tony Dykes and Ryan Poole with two hits apiece. Sam Herrick took the loss for the Tigers as the second of eight pitchers used.
Edgewood College will begin their Florida swing on Sunday against the University of Dubuque in a 3:00 p.m. Eastern time game. The Eagles will play eight varsity games and one reserve game on the trip.
