Baseball Pounds Past UNC Asheville, 10-3

Box Score Canisius junior Anthony Massicci went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored, freshman catcher Jack Massa hit his first career grand slam and freshman J.P. Stevenson tossed four innings of relief to earn his first career win as the Golden Griffins defeated UNC Asheville 10-3 Friday night at the Sports Complex in Lexington, S.C. The win, Canisius' third straight, improved the team to 5-3 on the year while the Bulldogs fell to 2-5 with the loss.

The Griffs poounded out 12 hits in the win, led by Massicci and sophomore Jake Lumley, who each had three hits in the victory. Massa, the reigning MAAC Player of the Week, went 1-for-5 with the grand slam and a run scored and fellow freshman Adam Tricarico also recorded his first career homer in the win while driving in two runs.

Canisius scored a single run in the bottom of the first when Massicci reached with a leadoff double and later scored on a fielding error by UNC Asheville. The Bulldogs came back and led 3-1 after four innings, but the Blue and Gold responded with four runs in the home-half of the fifth. In that frame, Tricarico hit a two-run homer to left to tie the game at 3-3, and the Griffs took the lead for good on an RBI-double to the gap in right center by senior Jesse Puscheck. Canisius added four more runs in the bottom of the seventh on Massa's grand slam and then the Blue and Gold pushed another insurance run across in the eighth when junior Brett Siddall drew a bases-loaded walk that allowed Lumley to score from third.

Stevenson earned his first career victory on the hill after he allowed three hits and struck out seven in 4.0 innings of work. Sophomore Josh Shepley started the game for the Griffs and he allowed three runs on four hits while fanning two and walking two.

Canisius will play two games on Saturday, starting with a contest against George Mason at noon. The Griffs are also scheduled to play Delaware, with first pitch of that game set for 3:30 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#25 Jesse Puscheck: 3B; 6' 2"; Senior

#24 Brett Siddall: 1B/OF; 6' 2"; Junior

#3 Jake Lumley: IF; 6' 0"; Junior

#39 Jack Massa: C; 6' 2"; Sophomore

#7 Anthony Massicci: IF; 5' 10"; Senior

#22 Josh Shepley: P; 6' 3"; Junior

#32 J.P. Stevenson: P; 6' 3"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#25 Jesse Puscheck
: 6' 2"; Senior
: 3B

#24 Brett Siddall
: 6' 2"; Junior
: 1B/OF

#3 Jake Lumley
: 6' 0"; Junior
: IF

#39 Jack Massa
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: C

#7 Anthony Massicci
: 5' 10"; Senior
: IF

#22 Josh Shepley
: 6' 3"; Junior
: P

#32 J.P. Stevenson
: 6' 3"; Sophomore
: P