Baseball Stifles Late Rally to Beat Gardner Webb

Box Score A five-run first inning and a solid start from sophomore Felix Morin propelled Canisius to an 8-5 victory over Gardner Webb Sunday afternoon in collegiate baseball action from Bill Masters Field in Boiling Springs, N.C.

Morin held the Runnin' Bulldogs (2-5) in check, allowing only a solo home run, while striking out four batters and issuing no walks in five innings of work en route to the win. Sophomore Mason Cisco went 1-for-4 with an RBI double in the first inning to gain the early lead, while senior Carlin Dick continued his early season on-base streak, drawing three walks as the Golden Griffins (2-2) finished the One Spartanburg Inc. Baseball Classic with a 2-1 record.

The Griffs took a hold on the game early, jumping out a 5-0 lead in the first. Graduate student Mike DeStefano and junior Jackson Strong got on-base to start the game before being driven in by RBI singles from Dick and Trent Rumley. Cisco roped a two-run double into the gap to score Dick and Rumley, while Andrew Marcello finished the inning with an RBI single of his own.

Holding a 6-1 edge, the Griffs scored two more runs in the eighth, with Strong scoring on an error after getting on with a single and stealing second. Sophomore Thomas Zwirecki plated the first run of his career scoring on a Cole Sebastian pinch-hit single to expand the cushion to seven.

Morin allowed a solo shot from Tommy Taverez in the fourth, but the Griffs pitching held the Bulldog batters in check until the ninth. Junior Aaron Duffy pitched two perfect innings in relief for Morin, with redshirt junior Ethan Hennessy tacking on a scoreless inning of his own in the eighth. Freshman Thomas Russo came on in the ninth to quiet a four-run rally, striking out the final batter to earn his first career save, leaving the final score at 8-5.

GAME NOTES
•Rumley went 2-for-4 in the contest, adding another RBI and run scored to his impressive weekend in the Carolinas. The junior hit .363 (4-for-11) with six RBI, four runs scored, and belting a 3-run home run at Presbyterian.
•Dick has reached base in all four games to start the season. The senior has a nine game on-base streak, stretching back to May 17, 2023 (at Marist).
•Zwirecki got his first start and playing time behind the dish. He went 1-for-5 with a double and a run scored.
•Freshman JC Spinosa got his first start at second base. He tallied an RBI and drew two walks.
•Russo made the first appearance of his career out of the bullpen, earning the one out save.

UP NEXT
Canisius travels to West Virginia Wednesday for a midweek contest set for 3 p.m. in Morgantown, W. Va. The game will be streamed live on Big 12 Now/ESPN+.

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Players Mentioned

#4 Mike DeStefano: OF/INF; 6' 0"; Senior; L/R

#18 Carlin Dick: OF; 5' 8"; Junior; L/L

#26 Aaron Duffy: RHP; 6' 4"; Sophomore; L/R

#17 Ethan Hennessy: RHP/INF; 6' 4"; Redshirt Sophomore; R/R

#1 Trent Rumley: INF; 5' 7"; Sophomore; R/R

#9 Cole Sebastian: OF; 6' 0"; Sophomore; R/R

#22 Jackson Strong: OF; 6' 1"; Sophomore; L/L

#3 Mason Cisco: INF; 6' 0"; Freshman; L/R

#7 Andrew Marcello: OF; 5' 10"; Freshman; R/R

#20 Felix Morin: LHP; 6' 4"; Freshman; L/L

Players Mentioned

#4 Mike DeStefano
: 6' 0"; Senior; L/R
: OF/INF

#18 Carlin Dick
: 5' 8"; Junior; L/L
: OF

#26 Aaron Duffy
: 6' 4"; Sophomore; L/R
: RHP

#17 Ethan Hennessy
: 6' 4"; Redshirt Sophomore; R/R
: RHP/INF

#1 Trent Rumley
: 5' 7"; Sophomore; R/R
: INF

#9 Cole Sebastian
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; R/R
: OF

#22 Jackson Strong
: 6' 1"; Sophomore; L/L
: OF

#3 Mason Cisco
: 6' 0"; Freshman; L/R
: INF

#7 Andrew Marcello
: 5' 10"; Freshman; R/R
: OF

#20 Felix Morin
: 6' 4"; Freshman; L/L
: LHP