Hoboken, NJ – The SUNY Canton baseball team nearly pulled off a split but host Stevens Institute of Technology earned a walk-off win in the bottom of the ninth inning to take a Friday sweep in the Empire 8 conference opener for both teams on Friday.

Game 1 – Box Score

Stevens 4, Canton 1

The hosts got on the board in the bottom of the first on an RBI double. SUNY Canton knotted the game at one in the top half of the second. Seth Douglas (Reedsburg, WI) led off with a base hit to left and stole second. Chris Roenbeck (Plattsburgh, NY) used a productive ground out to advance Douglas to third with one down setting up a Brandon Welch (Constable, NY) sacrifice fly to right to score Douglas.

The Ducks added one run each in the second, third and fourth innings to secure the 4-1 victory. SUNY Canton brought the tying run to the plate in the fifth inning but left a pair of runners on base as they were unable to make the comeback.

Tom Brusca (Middletown, NY) got the start on the mound surrendering just four hits and three earned runs over five innings. He struck out three and walked four. Matt Hall (Palmyra, NY) threw one inning in relief without giving up a hit.

Game 2 – Box Score

Stevens 5, Canton 4

Stevens (9-8, 2-0 E8) jumped out to a quick start again in the second game of the twinbill with three runs in the first on a sacrifice fly and a 2 RBI single. The Roos (4-11, 2-0 E8) got one back in the second on a Douglas solo shot to right.

SUNY Canton tied the game at three in the top of the fourth on a Welch RBI groundout and a Derrek DuPont (Catskill, NY) RBI double to right center scoring Travis Schindler (West Islip, NY).

The Ducks regained the lead in the bottom of the inning on an RBI base hit up the middle. In a back-and-forth battle, the Roos responded in the fifth when Jeremy Baez (Bronx, NY) drove home Christian Nazario-Cruz (Naguabo, Puerto Rico) on a sacrifice fly to center.

The Roos got runners to second and third in a tie ball game with one out in the seventh but were unable to get the runners home leaving a pair stranded in scoring position. SUNY Canton had the bases loaded in the top of the ninth but could not score the three runners with two outs as they left 10 players on base in game two.

With two down in the bottom of the ninth Stevens received a piece of clutch hitting from Garrett Wells as he drove the ball into the gap in left center field plating Matthew Pasko for the walk-off hit and 5-4 victory.

Cruz, Matos and Douglas all had two hit ball games for the Roos as Douglas reached base four times and also scored twice, while driving in a pair of runs.

Travis Bigelow (Ottawa, ON) drew the start on the mound giving up four earned over eight innings with seven strike outs and three walks.

These two teams will have a rematch with a single game on Saturday beginning at 5:30 p.m.