CHESTERTOWN — Washington College pitcher Connor McCloskey and batterymate Nick Miller celebrate a 1-2-3 top of the fifth inning Saturday in the nightcap of a twin bill with visiting Alfred State College of New York.
McCloskey (3-0, 2.64 ERA), a freshman right-hander, gave up four runs on eight hits in seven complete innings but came away with a no decision as the game went extra innings. His line included five strikeouts and one walk.
After falling behind 7-2, the Shoremen pushed two runs across in the last of the eighth inning and three runs in the ninth to deadlock at 7.
They won the game in the 10th, 8-7, when senior Scooter SanFilippo (single) scored on a passed ball with two away.
SanFilippo, the everyday center fielder, finished with three hits in five at-bats and three runs scored. SanFilippo’s two-run homer in the bottom of the second inning gave the Shoremen their only lead of the game, 2-1, until he scored the winning run in the 10th.
Junior right-hander Matt Corda (2-1) picked up the win in one inning of relief. He faced only four batters and struck out one after issuing what turned out to be a no-hurt free pass with two away.
Washington and Alfred State split Saturday’s doubleheader, with Alfred winning the first game in 10 innings, 14-7. Twice the Pioneers rallied to tie, 4-4 in the top of the seventh and 7-7 in the top of the ninth, before erupting for seven runs in the 10th.
Washington and Alfred played a total of three games over the weekend on Athey Field in Chestertown, each game going extra innings.
The Pioneers won Sunday’s single game, 5-2, scoring three runs in the 10th, to improve to 12-8.
Washington is 13-7 under third-year head coach Tom Fiala, already having surpassed the 10-win season of 2024 and the 12-win season of 2023.
WC is home again on Tuesday, March 25 against Neumann — with the first pitch at 3:30 p.m. — before opening Centennial Conference play at Ursinus on Saturday, March 29.
— Photo by Trish McGee