Lakeland, Fla. – Stockton University (6-7) dropped a pair of games to Keystone College (9-2) on Thursday by scores of 12-2 in seven innings and 7-2. The Giants are in the Others Receiving Votes section of the D3baseball.com/NCBWA poll.
Nick Avagnano (Paramus/Paramus) brought his career total to 99 hits with three safeties in the twinbill. Avagnano went 2-2 with an RBI in the first game.
Russell Halvorsen (Howell/Howell) doubled and scored for the Ospreys.
Stockton took a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly by Avagnano that scored Halvorsen in the bottom of the first. Keystone scored in each of the next six innings before the Ospreys got one run in the bottom of the seventh for the 12-2 final.
In the nightcap,
Joe Gmitter (Hamilton/Steinert) went 2-2 with three walks while
Jordan Nitti (Hamilton/Steinert) was 2-4 with a run scored.
Stockton again took an early lead as Avagnano stroked an RBI double that brought Nitti home in the top of the first. Keystone scored twice each in the second and third innings followed by one run in the fourth for a 5-2 count.
Avagnano scored during a double play in the fifth frame, but the Giants added two runs in the sixth for the 7-2 final.
Freshman
Joseph Loreti (Hamilton/Steinert) was not involved in the decision but pitched 2.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Loreti struck out two batters, walked two and did not allow a hit.
Stockton will finish its spring break trip to Florida with a game against Bethel University (Minn.) on Friday at 4:15 p.m.
