Willimantic, Conn. – The Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team scored 10 runs over the final five innings to top RV Eastern Connecticut State University 12-5 in a non-conference tilt on Wednesday.
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Quinton Sterling had a career-high four hits for Stevens (16-12), while Hank Penders drove in three runs for ECSU (15-6-1).
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HOW IT HAPPENED
The Ducks put a two-spot on the board in the first to take the lead in their first at-bat. Chip Krese walked to lead off the game, as Sterling lined a 1-0 pitch into right field for a single. After Krese was forced out on a single by Griffin Zitko, the two runners moved up on an error and a stolen base. Ethan Simpson hit a comebacker to the mound that was thrown away, allowing Sterling and Zitko to score.
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The Warriors answered with three in the second to grab their first lead of the game, as Penders smacked a bases-clearing, two-out double to make the score 3-2. Dean Qira escaped further damage with a strikeout to retire the side. The home side tacked on a sacrifice fly in the third, extending the margin to two at 4-2. The Ducks loaded the bases with one out in the fourth on walks to Zitko and Adam Barrington and a Simpson single, but they were unable to push a run across, as two strikeouts ended the threat.
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Krese and Sterling set the table in the fifth with singles, and Jackson Wein drove in Krese with a run-scoring groundout. Sterling crossed the plate as Zitko reached on an error before Veer Wadhwani gave Stevens the lead with an RBI double down the left-field line. Barrington followed with an RBI knock to left, plating Wadhwani and stretching the lead to 6-4.
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Aaron Wong walked to lead off the sixth and came all the way home on a Krese double. Sterling extended the lead with an RBI single and later scored on the back end of a double steal with Wein, scampering home on a throwing error. The two sides traded runs before Stevens closed out the scoring in the ninth. Krese doubled to left-center to lead off the frame and scored on an RBI hit from Sterling. The junior polished off the scoring by scooting home on a wild pitch.
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INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Sterling has hit safely in his last five games, going 10-for-22 during the stretch.
Krese extended his hitting streak to 11 games, tallying four multi-hit games during the run.
Ryan Ciesla recorded his first collegiate victory, throwing three innings of shutout relief with two strikeouts.
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UP NEXT
The Ducks host Arcadia University in Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom action on Friday, with first pitch scheduled for 3:00 pm.
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