Junior right-hander Luke Kuczewski (Orchard Park/Orchard Park) pitched into the ninth after his teammates scored twice in the sixth with two outs as Fredonia defeated Oneonta, 5-3, in the first game of a three-game SUNYAC series at Ludwig Field.
Kuczewski improved to 4-1 and the Blue Devils upped their mark to 11-8 overall and 2-5 in the conference. Senior right-hander Steve Zaprowski (Williamsville/Williamsville South) got the final three outs for his third save.
The Blue Devils broke a 3-3 tie when senior Derek Fie (Corning/Corning East) doubled to lead off the sixth, went to third on an infield groundout, and scored on a throwing error with two outs. J.T. Angora (Rochester, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta), a senior, then lined a triple to right-center to plate an insurance run.
Kuczewski retired Oneonta in order in the seventh and eighth innings before issuing a lead-off walk in the ninth. He exited after allowing nine hits, walking four, and striking out three. Zaprowski needed just nine pitches for the save and drop Oneonta to 7-17 overall and 3-7 in SUNYAC.
Fredonia took a 3-0 lead in the last of the first on an RBI single by Angora, a grounder back to the mound by senior Daniel Goodbread (Tully/Tully), and a double to right-center by senior Joshua Crocetti (Rochester, N.Y./Hilton). Oneonta battled back with three runs in the fourth.
