WASHINGTON - The 2022 Bison Baseball Classic got off to a cold start here Friday at Hoy Field. Gallaudet University dropped the first game of the classic to Cazenovia College, 19-9, in a nine-inning affair.  

Cazenovia (1-0) jumped out early on the Bison with a seven-run second and fourth innings as the visitors led 14-2 over the Bison (1-4). GU scored two runs in the third, fourth, sixth and ninth innings and added one run in the fifth. Cazenovia added insurance runs in the fifth (three runs) and sixth innings (two runs). 

The Bison got on the scoreboard in the third inning. Senior Winston Lane III (Brooklyn Center, Minn.) singled to left field and advanced to second moments later when junior Austin Sliva-Wynne (Richmond, Texas) got walked. Junior Frank Diaz (Far Rockaway, N.Y.) singled to left field to score Lane and Sliva-Wynne. GU trailed by five, 7-2, as it went into the fourth inning.

GU also scored two runs in the fourth, as the Wildcats pitcher walked freshman Jaylen Johnson (Dublin, Calif.) and junior Darren Drolsbaugh (Lansdale, Pa. ) to lead off the inning. Lane singled to left field to load the bases for sophomore catcher Salvador Diaz (Norwalk, Calif.), who drew a walk. Sliva-Wynne came through with a sacrifice fly to left field to plate Drolsbaugh as GU trailed 14-4. 

Salvador Diaz blasted his first Bison home run of the season with a solo shot over the left field fence in the bottom of the sixth inning. 

Freshman pitcher Johnathan Guerrero (Indio, Calif.) took the loss on the mound as he allowed nine runs (seven earned) on eight hits, walked four, struck out two and hit one batter in three innings of work

In Friday's second game, Rochester Institute of Technology (1-0) opened its season with a 12-0 shutout of Cazenovia.  

UP NEXT
The Bison Baseball Classic continues tomorrow (Saturday, Feb. 26) at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. The first game will feature Cazenovia against Muhlenberg College. The second game will pit RIT against Gallaudet.