Stevenson two-run double in bottom of ninth downs McDaniel

ABERDEEN, Md. – A Mitch Berman pinch-hit two-run double in the bottom of the ninth propelled Stevenson to a 3-2 victory over McDaniel in non-conference baseball action on Tuesday.

Patrick Christopher (Union Beach, N.J./St. John Vianney) and Jimmy Najera (Fort Washington, Md./DeMatha) each recorded two hits for the Green Terror (0-1), who knocked out just five hits in its first game of the season.

The Mustangs (2-8), playing in their 10th game of the year, recorded eight hits, including two each from Tony Prescott and Zac Stavish.

Trailing 2-1 with one out in the bottom of the ninth, Stavish reached on an infield single before giving way to pinch-runner Heath Johnson.

Back-to-back walks by Scott Merkel and Brad Blum loaded the bases and chased Mike Freeman (Lititz, Pa./Warwick), who had recorded a pair of strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings of work.

With freshman James Chiorello (East Windsor, N.J./Lawrenceville Prep) in the game, Stevenson went to its bench and Berman rapped a double into left field to score the tying and winning runs.

Brandon Kline (Myersville, Md./Middletown) was hit by a pitch to lead off the game before stealing second.

A Christopher bunt single put runners at the corners before Kline was able to score on a double play for a 1-0 lead.

A Jeffy Bihy double and Merkel RBI single in the bottom of the second knotted the game at 1-all.

In the top of the fourth, Najera led off with a single down the left-field line and moved to second on a passed ball. A pair of fly outs, including a Ryan Byrnes (New City, N.Y./Clarkstown North) sacrifice fly, allowed Najera to put McDaniel back on top by one.

Zach Jones (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) threw the first four innings of the game with two strikeouts for the Green Terror.

Chris Street picked up the win for the Mustangs, fanning two and not allowing a hit in two innings of relief work.

McDaniel returns to action at Catholic on Wednesday. Game time is 3:30 p.m.

Zach Jones, Mike Freeman (5), James Chiorello (9) and Chris Longo; Andrew Haab, Chris Street (8) and Zac Stavish. WP: Street (1-0). LP: Freeman (0-1). S: none. SO-BB: Jones 2-0, Freeman 2-3, Chiorello 0-0; Haab 2-2, Street 2-1. 2B: Jeff Bihy (S), Zac Stavish (S), Mitch Berman (S).

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