WASHINGTON - The Gallaudet University baseball team picked up its first United East Conference win of the season here Saturday against Wells College at a windy Hoy Field. The Bison offense erupted to match their season-high total for runs (18) as they defeated the Express, 18-10, in the nine-inning second game of the twin bill. GU (5-13, 1-2 United East) dropped the first game, 15-1, in seven innings to Wells (5-10, 2-1 United East).

Game 1: Wells 15, Gallaudet 1 (F/7)
The Express quickly grabbed seven runs in the first four innings as they held the Bison scoreless in all innings but the bottom of the fourth. 

GU scored its lone run when sophomore Joshua Dugan (San Antonio, Texas.) singled up the middle to bring home senior Winston Lane III (Brooklyn Center, Minn.), who reached base on an infield hit, stole second and moved to third on a passed ball. Dugan's RBI single cut the Express lead to 6-1.

The Express scored eight runs on two hits and one error in the top of the fifth inning as the visitors increased their lead to 13 runs.

Senior starting pitcher Frank Diaz (Far Rockaway, N.Y.) took the loss on the mound as he allowed 10 runs on seven hits, walked five and struck out three in 4.2 innings pitched. 

Sophomore infielder Shea Sliva-Wynne (Richmond, Texas) led the Bison offense with two hits.

Wells starting pitcher Luke Eitner (2-0) picked up the win as he surrendered one run on five hits, walked three and struck out three in 6.1 innings. Zack Odum and Aaron Izquierdo each drove in four runs for the Express.

Game 2: Gallaudet 18, Wells 10
The Bison turned things around in the second game as bats came alive in the bottom of the first inning as Gallaudet batted around and scored 11 runs.

Junior Darren Drolsbaugh (Lansdale, Pa.) had two of Gallaudet's 10 hits in the first inning as he led off the bottom of the first inning with a single. Lane had two RBI doubles, junior Austin Sliva-Wynne (Richmond, Texas) recorded two RBI singles, Dugan had a two-run single to right-center field, Shea Sliva-Wynne added an infield hit to bring home a run. Two additional extra-base RBI hits came from sophomore Bryan Ramos-Navarro (Springfield, Mass.) tripled to the outfield to bring home two runs and freshman Jaylen Johnson (Dublin, Calif.) followed with a RBI double down the right-field line.

The 11 runs scored in an inning is the second most by GU this season as the Bison plated 12 against Elmira last month (Feb. 19). 

Gallaudet hit eight extra-base hits including four triples and collected 16 RBI. Ramos-Navarro led the way with four RBI while Dugan, Lane and Austin Sliva-Wynne had three RBI each. Gallaudet's starting lineup all scored at least one run and eight of the nine had two or more hits. Drolsbaugh led the Bison with four hits while Johnson, Lane and the Sliva-Wynne brothers all recorded three hits each. 

Sophomore catcher Salvador Diaz (Norwalk, Calif.) scored a game-high five runs, walked three times and went 2-for-2 at the plate.

Drolsbaugh (2-4) earned his second win of the season as he threw into the seven inning as he allowed 10 runs on 12 hits, walked three and struck out four. Dugan and freshman Johnathan Guerrero (Indio, Calif.) closed out the game as the duo threw over two scoreless innings as the Bison celebrated their first conference win of the season.

Wells starting pitcher Benny Beratta (0-3) took the loss as he allowed 10 runs (nine earned) on nine hits, no walks and one strikeout as he pitched one-third of an inning. 

UP NEXT
GU will travel next weekend for its first official road game of the season as the Bison head to Williamsport, Pa., to face Penn College (7-8, 1-2 United East) in a three-game conference series. The first game is set for Friday, March 25, at 3 p.m.