Mount Saint Mary Wins Thrilling Season Opener

By Steven Merritt

ST. MARY’S CITY, MD. – The Mount Saint Mary College Baseball team opened up the 2020 season with a thrilling 9-8 victory over Washington College (Md.) on Saturday afternoon. Senior Michael Doxey went 3-for-4 and scored three runs as the Mount recorded 17 hits in the contest.

The Shoremen got out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first as Max Ruvo drove home a run on a RBI triple as the second hitter of the game. Washington scored the second run on an error with two outs in the top half of the inning. The Knights responded with a run of its own on a RBI double from Dominick Marzigliano that drove in Steven Mirra, who reached on a leadoff single.

Devin Tait drove in two runs with a two-out single in the bottom of the second inning to give the Knights its first lead at 3-2. The Knights scored another run in the third on a RBI single from Robert Brust to push the lead to two.

Tait tallied his second run batted in of the day in the fourth as he drove in Mirra to extend the lead to 5-2. The Mount scored in its fifth straight inning in the fifth as a Brust infield single knocked in a run and Anthony Rizzo drove in his first run of the season with two outs to score Liam Merlin.

The Shoreman got a run back in the sixth on a RBI single from Ruvo to cut the lead to four before Ruvo’s bases clearing triple in the seventh cut the lead to one. Ruvo came around to score on the play following a Mount Saint Mary error to tie the game back at seven in the seventh inning.

The Mount responded right away as Doxey laced a double to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning. After advancing on a wild pitch and a Merlin walk, Doxey would score on a Washington College error to bring the lead back to the Knights. Merlin came around to score on an Anthony Franco grounder to push the lead to 9-7.

The Shoremen answered once again, scoring on a passed ball to cut the lead down to one in the eighth inning. Ruvo doubled in the ninth inning and made his way to third on a flyball as the tying run but Michael DiGiovanni closed the door and recorded his first save of the season.

Every player in the Knights starting lineup recorded a hit on the day as Doxey led the team wih three hits. Tait finished 2-for-4 with three RBI as Brust added two hits and two RBI. Mirra and Merlin each scored two runs for the Mount while each adding two hits.

Ruvo finished 4-for-5 with five RBI for the Shoremen while Chris Baker added two hits and two runs scored. Washington College hit three triples on the day as a team.

Matthew Borriello made the start for the Knights as he threw five-plus innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits while walking two and striking out three. Alexander Maher picked up the win in relief as DiGiovanni hammered down the save in the ninth.

Mike Smith took the start for Washington as he lasted 2.1 innings, allowing four runs on nine hits. Nick Brauer took the loss as he allowed seven hits on five runs (three earned) in three-plus innings pitched.