By Bob Heller
USIP Sports Information Director

The defending Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference baseball champions, Dominican College came into town Saturday to take on the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. The Chargers left town with a pair of victories, sweeping both games of the doubleheader from the Devils, 19-3 and 8-3.

The two losses drop the Devils record to 3-12 overall and 1-2 in league games. Dominican improves to 3-0 in league play and 9-6 overall.

Phil Maher (Jr., Norristown HS/Norristown, Pa.) took the loss in the nightcap, giving up 12 hits, eight runs (four earned), while striking out 10. Gary Thompson (Fr, Timber Creek HS/Sicklerville, N.J.) lasted just 3 1/3 innings in the opener and took the loss for the Devils. Chris Pino (Jr., Hazleton Area HS/West Hazleton, Pa.) had four hits on the afternoon, getting two in each game while Maher had two hits in the first and added another in the second. Justin DeVincenzo (Sr., Bishop Hoban HS/Plains, Pa.) also three hits on the afternoon, two in the nightcap and one in the opener and had an RBI in each game. Nelson Cruz drove in six runs for the Chargers (4 in the opener), while Sean Brown went 2-for-4 (3 RBI) in the opener and 3-for-5 (1 RBI) in the nightcap. Jose Escalera had three RBI in the opener and added two more in the second game. Joseph Catanese and Tommy Mejia got the wins for the Chargers.

The Devils jumped out to an early lead in the second game, scoring two runs in the bottom half of the first inning after giving up an unearned run in the top of the first. One-out singles by Chris Longo (Jr., Cherry Hill East HS/Cherry Hill, N.J.), Michael DeVincenzo (Sr., Bishop Hoban HS/Plains, Pa.) and Justin DeVincenzo led to the first USP run. Phil Cox (So., Riverside HS/Riverton, N.J.) then reached on an infield error to load the bases before Ryan Challender (Fr., G.A.M.P./ Upper Darby, Pa.) grounded into a fielder's choice to score Michael DeVincenzo and give the Devils a 2-1 lead.

The Chargers scored another unearned run in the second to tie the game at 2-2, where the score remained until the sixth inning when the Chargers sent eight men to the plate, banged out four hits and scored three times to take a 5-2 lead. A sacrifice fly by DC's Escalera made it 6-2 in the seventh before the Devils scored again in the bottom of the eighth. Longo singled to start the eight and advanced on a one-out error. Cox reached on catchers interference to load the bases before Pino delivered a two-out single to score Longo and make the score 6-3. Rich Cipoletti (Sr., Half Hollow Hills West HS/Dix Hills, N.Y.) struck out to end the USP threat. The Chargers then added two more insurance runs in the ninth to make the final score 8-3.

In the opener, the Chargers banged out seven hits over the first four innings, scoring nine times and 14 for the game as they handily defeated the Devils 19-3. USP scored all three of their runs in the eight inning after trailing 19-0. Michael Kleinschmidt (So., St. Mark's HS/Newark, Del.) singled with two out and came around to score on Maher's double. Maher later scored on pinch-hitter James Carpino's (Fr., Friends Select School, Philadelphia, Pa.) single and Carpino came around to score on Michael DeVincenzo's single to make the final score 19-3.

The Devils will play a single game at Philadelphia University on April 3, 2007, starting at 3:30 p.m. This game is also designated as the opening round game of the Bill Giles Tournament. The winner will play either West Chester University or Wilmington College on April 10, 2007 at Citizen's Bank Park.