FREDERICKSBURG, Va. - It took an additional two weeks but the 2010 Gallaudet University baseball season got underway Saturday on the road in Fredericksburg, Va., as the Bison opened up against University of Mary Washington. The Eagles swept the Bison 7-2 and 3-0 in the Capital Athletic Conference opener for both teams.

Gallaudet (0-2, 0-2 CAC) was set to begin the season back on February 13 but that doubleheader with Arcadia University and subsequently doubleheaders with Penn State-Altoona and Penn State-Berks and a single-game with UMW were postponed due to snow and poor field conditions.

Mary Washington freshman Zach Goodwyn (1-0) pitched a seven-inning no-hitter against the Bison in the second game as he walked two and struck out 11. GU countered with sophomore lefty Ryan Hastings (Cherry Valley, Mass.) who went the distance where he allowed three runs on eight hits, walked two and struck out three in a solid outing.

In the first game, Gallaudet struck first as the Bison jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Hastings got plunked by Eagle pitcher Torey Mancari (1-0), who then walked Kyle Kuschmider (Olathe, Kan.) to put two runners on with one out. Centerfielder Yuri Johnston (Greensboro, N.C.) singled to right field to load the bases for catcher Chester Kuschmider (Olathe, Kan.). Mancari walked in a run as he threw four balls to Chester Kuschmider. GU left the bases loaded as Mancari got out of the jam.

Mary Washington (2-0, 2-0 CAC) got on the board with two runs in the bottom of the third inning. The Eagles then plated three in the fourth and two in the fifth. Gallaudet committed three errors behind sophomore pitcher Jeremy Shepps (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) who went the distance in the seven-inning game. Shepps (0-1) only allowed two earned runs on eight hits, one walk and struck out four.

GU pushed across its second run in the top of the sixth inning to cut the lead to five, 7-2. Freshman right fielder William Bissell (Brewer, Maine) led off the sixth with a double and later scored on a Kyle Kuschmider groundout.

Mancari pitched five innings for the win as he allowed one run on two hits, walked three and struck out four Bison.

The Bison showed improvement from last year with their performance today against Mary Washington. The Eagles swept the three-game series with Gallaudet last year by the scores of 14-2, 3-2 and 16-0. The two losses to begin the 2010 season end a six-game winning streak Gallaudet entered with from last season.

Gallaudet will begin its home schedule tomorrow (Sunday, February 28) with a non-conference game against cross-town rival Catholic University of America. This game was added to the schedule late on Friday. The nine-inning game will begin at 1 p.m.