WASHINGTON, D.C. – The 2010 season came
to a close on Tuesday afternoon at Hoy Field for the Gallaudet
University baseball team. The Bison suffered a heartbreaking loss
to the hands of Valley Forge Christian College as the visitors
scored five runs over the course of the last two innings to steal
an 8-6 victory away from GU. The loss spoiled senior day for
Chester Kuschmider (Olathe, Kan.), the lone senior
on the squad. Gallaudet finishes the season with a 4-34 record.
GU led for the majority of the game, especially when they scored
three runs in the bottom of the second to take an early lead, but
things fell apart at the end. The Bison defense committed six of
its seven errors in the game in the final five innings of play.
The ninth inning was tough to stomach for Bison fans as the Buff
and Blue clung to a 6-5 lead. Sophomore Jeremy
Shepps (Mechanicsburg, Pa.), who took to the mound in the
top of the seventh, ran into trouble as several fielding errors
prolonged the inning. The Patriots (8-15), a member of the NCCAA,
were able to tie the game on a fielder's choice which was not
handled well at home plate. Shepps (2-10) looked like he was out of
the inning as the Patriots faced two outs with the bases loaded but
freshman third baseman Jake Moritz delivered the knockout punch
with a two-run single to left field.
GU tried to rally in the bottom of the ninth but Patriots
reliever Cole Dudiak allowed two baserunners, on first and second
base, to reach but recorded strikeouts for the final three outs of
the game to earn the save. The last out of the season was Chester
Kuschmider (0-for-4, one run), who struck out for the second time
in the game.
VFCC pitcher Benjamin Berrios started the game and went deep
into the game as he pitched eight innings and allowed six runs on
nine hits. Berrios walked three but struck out seven. The comeback
ended a win opportunity for sophomore starting pitcher Ryan
Hastings (Cherry Valley, Mass.) who went six strong
innings where he allowed three runs (two earned) off six hits,
walked three and struck out three.
Freshman Tommy Barksdale (Brookeville, Md.) had
his troubles in the field but made up for the errors with a
game-high three hits and two RBIs. He finished the day a home run
shy of the cycle. His RBI triple in the bottom of the seventh
looked like an insurance run as the Bison led 6-3.
Shepps and Barksdale hit back-to-back doubles in the two-run
fifth inning for Gallaudet. The two key hits in the three-run
second came from sophomore Danny Gabel (Staten
Island, N.Y.), a RBI double, and junior Zane
Noschese (Pittsburgh, Pa.), RBI single.
