WASHINGTON - Gallaudet University began its 2020 baseball season with a clean sweep of University of Valley Forge on a sunny and cold Saturday at Hoy Field. The Bison (2-0) won the first game 22-6 in seven innings. GU posted 22 more runs in the second game to win 22-5 in five innings as the game was called due to darkness.

In the first game, Gallaudet scored runs in every inning with a game-high eight runs in the fifth inning. Junior Darren Drolsbaugh (Lansdale, Pa.) got the start on the mound for the buff and blue. The right-hander struck out six batters in six innings as he pitched a complete game.  Senior Austin Altman (Irvine, Calif.) had two doubles and senior third baseman Winston Lane III (Brooklyn Center, Minn.) hit an inside-the-park home run.

Valley Forge (0-2) was undermanned and overwhelmed in the doubleheader. 

In the second game, the Patriots jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning as the visitors scored three off starting pitcher Frank Diaz (Far Rockaway, N.Y.). GU responded with three runs in the bottom of the first and four more in the second. Diaz settled down and pitched four innings where he struck out two and walked one. Freshman Elijah Watters (Victorville, Calif.) came on to pitch the fifth for the Bison. 

Gallaudet pushed across 12 runs in the bottom of the fourth as the daylight began to fade on the chilly winter day in Washington, D.C. The game was called for darkness after the Patriots batted in the fifth.

BISON TRACKS

• GU has won 20 straight games over Valley Forge dating back to the 2011 season
• Gallaudet has started the baseball season against Valley Forge for the past four seasons and are 8-0 against the Patriots
• The last time UVF defeated Gallaudet was April 27, 2010, when the Patriots won 8-6 at Hoy Field

UP NEXT
Gallaudet will next host the Bison Baseball Classic next weekend (Feb. 21-23) as it welcomes Stevenson University, Gwynedd Mercy University and Muhlenberg College to campus. The Bison will begin the three-day classic on Friday, Feb. 21, at 10 a.m. against Stevenson.