March 13, 2009
Shoremen Hold Off Oneonta, 7-6
Washington Hands Red Dragons First Loss of Season

COCOA, FL - The Washington College baseball team turned the tables on Oneonta State today, handing the Red Dragons (9-1) their first loss of the season in game played at Cocoa Expo in Cocoa, FL. The Shoremen (4-2) avenged their first loss of the season to Oneonta on Wednesday with today's victory.

Oneonta State scored a run in the top of the first, but WC freshman Ben Keaton (Arlington, VA/Flint Hill School) drove in freshman Ryan Normoyle (Mount Laurel, NJ/Lenape) and senior Joe Coveney (Madison, NJ/Madison) with a single in the bottom of the inning to give the Shoremen a 2-1 lead. Washington tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the third as Normoyle scored on an error and junior third baseman Matt Boucher (Alexandria, VA/Bishop Ireton) scored on a single by Keaton to make it 4-1.

The lead grew to 7-1 in the bottom of the fifth as Boucher scored on an error and freshman Tony Oktela (Willow Street, PA/Penn Manor) hit a two-run triple. The Red Dragons then scored three runs in the top of the sixth to get back within three at 7-4. Oneonta nearly pulled off the comeback by scoring two more runs in the ninth as Cody Hitt belted an RBI triple and scored on a single by Kevin Knack, but WC junior pitcher Chris Smith (Catonsville, MD/Catonsville) got Pete Lindner to fly out to left field to end the game.

Normoyle, Keaton, senior Tony Tozzolo (Calvert County, MD/Northern), and senior Greg Perret (Morris Plains, NJ/Bayley Ellard) each had two hits in the win for the Shoremen.

Sophomore pitcher Paul McMannis (Arbutus, MD/Lansdowne) pitched the first five and two-third innings to pick up the win. Freshman Hunter Draheim (Hollywood, MD/Leonardtown) pitched the next two and one-third innings. Smith came on for the ninth inning and picked up the save.

The Shoremen will return to action Tuesday with a 3:00 p.m. home game against Stevenson.

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