Royals Snap Skid With Doubleheader Sweep

FORT MYERS, Fla. - The University of Scranton snapped a four-game losing streak by sweeping a 7-inning doubleheader from St. Mary's College (Minn.) Wednesday.

In the first game, the Royals scored six runs in the first inning and held on for an 8-5 victory.  Sophomore Justin Champagne (Mt. Bethel, Pa./Bangor Area) and freshman Chris Stallone (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) led the Royals with two hits apiece and senior Steve Melly (Meadowbrook, Pa./Holy Ghost Preparatory) drove in two runs for Scranton, which finished with eight hits and did not commit an error.

Sophomore Todd McGee (Chadds Ford, Pa./Garnet Valley) earned his first pitching victory of the season by striking out four and scattering seven hits in five innings.  The Royals also got a big lift from relief pitcher Karl Weiss (Clifton, N.J./Don Bosco Preparatory), who did not allow a hit over the final two innings to pick up his first save of the season.

Champagne also finished with two rbi and freshman Jeff Manahan (Morris Plains, N.J./Morristown), senior Andrew Outhouse (Croton Falls, N.Y./North Salem), sophomore Chris Bligh (Jersey City, N.Y./St. Peter's Preparatory) drove in a run apiece.

The Royals overcame a 3-1 deficit to pull out a 5-3 victory in the nightcap.  Scranton tied it up in the top of the fourth on an rbi single by senior Kevin Johnson (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) and a sacrifice fly by senior Ray Girnys (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian).  Scranton took the lead for good in the fifth on an rbi double by Champagne and closed out the scoring in the sixth on an rbi single by Girnys.  Junior Charles Comprelli (Harrison, N.J./St. Peter's Preparatory) and Champagne finished with two hits for Scranton, which belted out 10 hits for the game.

Senior pitcher John Gennaoui (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) evened his record at 1-1 by allowing just two hits and striking out two in 5.1 innings of work.  Junior Kyle Fox (Scranton, Pa./Bishop Hannan) earned his first save of the season by holding St. Mary's hitless the rest of the way.

Scranton, now 3-4, will close out the Spring Break trip with a 9-inning game against Amherst College (Mass.) tomorrow at 10:00 a.m.