Mattingly Tosses Complete Game Victory In Game One

ALLENTOWN, PA – Visiting Washington College swept a Centennial Conference baseball doubleheader from host Muhlenberg at Cedarcreek Field on Saturday afternoon by scores of 6-1 in game one and 5-3 in game two.  With the two wins and an 8-2 Gettysburg loss at Ursinus in game two of their doubleheader, the Shoremen are in the Centennial Conference Baseball Tournament for the second time in three years.  The Shoremen improve to 26-10 overall and 11-7 in the conference and have concluded their regular season, while the Mules drop to 18-20 and 2-14 respectively. 

Washington, who made the playoffs in 2010, will find out what seed they are and what opponent they will play in the first round of the double elimination tournament by the end of tomorrow afternoon.  The team will open up in the conference tournament on Friday, May 4.  It is a three-day tournament from May 4-6.

Washington took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning in game one when freshman Scott Matthews (Goshen, NY/Don Bosco Prep (NJ) scored from third base on a single up the middle by junior Sean Connole (Mt. Airy, MD/St. John's Catholic).  In the last of the third, John Muha delivered a two-out RBI single to centerfield that scored Jimmy Aramanda to tie the game at 1-1. 

The Shoremen retook the lead at 2-1 in the top of the sixth when senior Ryan Normoyle (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape) tripled to right-center to drive in sophomore Jon Mahaffey (Sykesville, MD/Century) with two outs.  Normoyle would come on home on a single to right field by senior John Rolewicz (Bear, DE/Salesianum) to increase the visitors' lead 3-1. 

In the top half of the seventh WC scored three runs to extend its lead to five runs.  Senior Dwight Wilcox (Annapolis, MD/St. Mary's) singled to second base and it scored Matthews from second to increase the Shoremen's lead to 4-1 with one away.  With two outs, Connole slammed a double to left-center to drive in freshman Michael Festa (Newtown, PA/Council Rock North) to make it 5-1 and Connole would score on a base hit to right field by Mahaffey to extend the lead to 6-1.

WC senior pitcher Shane Mattingly (Ellicott City, MD/Centennial) was the story of game one as he went the distance and improves to 6-1 on the year.  He struck out 10 batters for the sixth time this season as he scattered five hits and gave up only one earned run.  At the plate, Connole was 2-for-2 with two RBI and a run scored, while Matthews was 2-for-2 with two runs scored.  Mahaffey was 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI, while Rolewicz was 2-for-4 with an RBI.  WC had 10 hits in the opener.

For the Mules, Rob Shannon on the hill took the loss and drops to 5-5.

In game two, WC scored twice in the top of the first inning on sacrifice flies by Normoyle and Rolewicz that scored both Connole and Mahaffey respectively to take a 2-0 lead.

In the top of the third, the Shoremen added two more runs to grab a 4-0 lead.  Normoyle scored on a Rolewicz single to up the middle to take a 3-0 lead and Rolewicz came home on an RBI groundout to second off the bat of junior Tyler Cotterell (Lincroft, NJ/Middletown South) to give the guests a four-run cushion. 

Muhlenberg got on the board in the last of the sixth to cut the lead to 4-1.  John Scuderi plated Muha on a sacrifice fly for the Mules first run of the second game.  In the bottom of the seventh, Muhlenberg trimmed the deficit to 4-2 when Kurt Johnson singled to shortstop to plate Aramanda. 

Washington tacked on a run in the top of the eighth Normoyle came home on a sacrifice fly by Rolewicz to make it 5-2.  Muhlenberg got one in the last of the ninth when Nick Plinio scored on a two-bagger by Johnson.  The Mules had the tying run at the plate with two outs, but WC sophomore pitcher AJ Schmalfuhs (Morristown, NJ/Morristown) got Busillo to pop up to Normoyle at shortstop for the final out and complete the sweep.

For the Shoremen in game two, Rolewicz had a game-high three RBI and Normoyle scored a pair of runs as the team had just five hits.  On the mound, junior pitcher Kyle Aldrich (Warren, NJ/Watchung Hills Regional) got the win and improves to 5-2.  He allowed eight hits and two earned runs over 6 1/3 innings.  He walked one and struck out five.  Schmalfuhs pitched the final two innings to record his third save of the season.  He went two innings, allowing one run on two hits.

For the Mules, who had 10 hits, in game two, Aramanda, Johnson, Muha and Chris Manfredonia had two hits each and Johnson drove in two runs.  On the hill, Matthew Lawsky took the loss and drops to 1-4.  He pitched a complete game, allowing five runs, but only two were earned as the Mules committed four errors in game two.  He struck out four and did not walk a batter.

The Shoremen swept the Mules for the first time since 2007 (9-2 and 5-3) and the first sweep of Muhlenberg in Allentown since 1998 when Washington won by scores of 7-3 and 11-4.