Point Park SS Michael DeJesus strokes an RBI single in Game 1 versus Davenport March 1. Photo courtesy DU Panthers.com
BOX SCORE 1 / BOX SCORE 2
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- Manny Perdomo threw a three-hit shutout to highlight a 5-0 victory, and Tyler Cattapan had four RBIs in a 6-4 win as No. 19 Point Park University baseball beat Davenport (Mich.) in both ends of an NAIA doubleheader on Saturday in Winter Haven, Fla.
It was the first day of a week-long Florida trip for the Pioneers (3-4). Davenport, which is receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 Poll, is now 7-7 on the year.
Perdomo (2-0) blanked Davenport to stay unbeaten in two starts. The senior right-hander from Miami, Fla., struck out five, walked three and faced only three batters over the minimum
The Point Park offense totaled nine hits in winning Game 1, 5-0. Third basemen Jordan Crowell was 2 for 4 with an RBI, and shortstop Michael DeJesus was 2 for 3 with an RBI.
Tom Birko led off with a double in the first and was singled home by Crowell. DeJesus' RBI single was the key hit as the Pioneers extended the lead to 3-0 with two runs in the fourth.
Point Park tacked on two more runs in the sixth when DeJesus singled, moved to second on Birko's walk and scored on an RBI base hit by Yuliecer Arias.
Tyler Cattapan, who was the designated hitter for Game 1 and the catcher for Game 2, got the Pioneers out to a 5-0 lead with four RBIs, all of which came the first three innings. Cattapan stroked an RBI single in the second and broke the game open with a bases-loaded double with two outs in the third.
Arias, a center fielder from Venezuela, drove in an insurance run with a single in the sixth, one of his two hits in the game. That put Point Park up, 6-3, after Davenport had gotten back into the game with three runs in the fifth.
Point Park starter Isaiah Marsh (1-1) got the win in 6.1 innings of work. The only two base runners he allowed the first four innings both reached via an error. Davenport put together three runs on three hits and an error in the fifth, but Marsh came right back to retire the side in the sixth.
Marsh gave up a one-out base hit to Tyler Baratano in the seventh and was replaced by closer Toby Eigner. Baratano did come around to score on a fielder's choice, but Eigner picked up his first save for the win.
Point Park's Florida trip continues Sunday with a doubleheader vs. Madonna (Mich.) (8-4), an NAIA national tournament team from last year.
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