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Elon snaps Diamond Deac's winning streak
By Matt Gallagher
Assistant Sports Editor

Apparently the only thing that could cool off a red-hot Deacon baseball team was a flaming Phoenix. The 10th-ranked Deacs tested out a 10-game winning streak against rival Elon on March 6 in Elon and came up short, losing 4-1. Nevertheless, the squad currently continues to crawl up the national rankings, and before the loss to the Phoenix, posted a win over Albany and two-game sweep over Appalachian State.

The Demon Deacs, currently 11-2 overall, sent freshman sensation Tim Morley to the hill against Elon. Morley (2-1) pitched well over 5-2/3 innings, giving up only one run. Unfortunately, his Phoenix counterpart Tyson Blocker baffled Deacon hitters as well. Blocker scattered seven hits through nine innings, giving up his only run to sophomore third baseman Jamie D’Antona, who jacked a two-out, ninth-inning home run. D’Antona, a preseason All-American, launched his fourth homer of the year and collected his 19th RBI on that shot. Meanwhile, Elon got all the insurance runs they needed after Morley retired for the day. Sophomore reliever Adam Hanson hurled 2-1/3 innings, yielding three runs on three hits. The Deacons previously defeated the Phoenix 6-4 Feb. 21 in their home opener at Hooks Stadium.

Morley picked up his second win only days before the breaks were put on the Deac-train against Elon. On Feb. 28, Morley dominated Albany, flinging six scoreless innings. D’Antona went 2-for-4 with four RBIs, and drew one walk as well. Junior catcher Stephen Ghutzman also uncorked two RBIs, while freshman Brian Bach and senior Dave Bush came out of the bullpen to ensure Morley’s win.

The next day the Deacons opened a two-game home series against in-state rival Appalachian State. The Mountaineers could not account for Deac pitching or hitting in either game, losing 10-4 in the opener and in a 22-3 shellacking in the finale. Sophomore ace Kyle Sleeth (3-0) torched App. State in the first game, striking out nine batters over six innings, giving up three runs in the process. Junior Seth Hill earned his first career save as a Deacon for his three innings of relief work, giving up only one hit. Junior first baseman Jeff Ruziecki knocked in three runs, and got his second home run in the process. Leadoff man Ryan Hubbard, a junior playing leftfield, jump-started the offense, batting 2-for-5.

After rain postponed the second game of the series to March 5, freshman pitcher Daniel Davidson oversaw a Deacon offensive explosion. The team unleashed 22 runs on the unsuspecting Mountaineers, led by D’Antona and junior rightfielder Ryan Braun, who detonated for five RBIs apiece. Junior centerfielder Adam Bourassa went 3-for-5 and chipped in for four runs batted in, while junior designated hitter Ryan Johnson went a flawless 3-for-3 and popped his first homer of the season. Meanwhile, overshadowed by the outpouring of runs, Davidson pitched extremely well in his first collegiate start. The freshman (2-0) threw five innings, surrendering two runs.

The Deacs hope to regain that red-hot touch known only as DeacBall as they travel down to the Big Easy this weekend, facing off against New Orleans in a three-game series that opens March 9.