ONEONTA, NY- In his 30th season as a head coach and his 16th at the helm of the Red Dragons,
Rick Ferchen reached his 700th victory in the first game of the double-header versus conference rivals Fredonia. Oneonta (7-6/2-0) swept Fredonia (8-5/0-2) in the double-header today 5-1 and 2-0.
Ferchen is 12th amongst all Div. III active coaches in victories and T-19th All-Time in victories. With today's feat, he joins only 18 other Div. III coaches who have eclipsed 700 wins.
Previous to Oneonta, Ferchen spent eight years at Hobart College and six years coaching Div. I Valparaiso.
In the first game, Senior
Ken Smith (Ossining, Ossining) battled with Fredonia's Brian Lansing as both pitchers held the bats to four scoreless innings. In the top of the fifth Fredonia was first to get on the board after playing small ball via a sac bunt then a sac fly to push Joe Kephart across the plate.
The bottom of the fifth the Red Dragons answered. Junior
Matthew Whelehan (Brooklyn, Midwood) got the bats going as he hit a liner down the left field line giving Oneonta the 2-1 lead.
Next at bat junior
Michael Center (Schenectady, Schenectady) hit a triple to right scoring Whelehan. Following that junior
Kevin Knack (Ghent , Ichabod Crane) hit a single to center field scoring center to put the Red Dragons ahead 4-1.
Oneonta scored again in the 6th to go up 5-1 and junior
Corey Andresen (Deposit, Deposit) came in to record the save holding off Fredonia.
Score by Innings                      R H E
-----------------------------------------
Fredonia............    000 010 0 - 1 3 0
Oneonta State....... 000 041 X - 5 5 2
-----------------------------------------
E - M. WHELEHAN(4); K. SMITH(1). DP - FRBASE11 1. LOB - FRBASE11 11; Oneonta 2. 2B - Messina. 3B - M. CENTER(1). HBP - Gahagen; VanAuker. SH - Messina; C. HITT(1). SF - Gahagen(1); C. HITT(2). SB - VanAuker(5); K. KNACK(4); J. WOLFANGER(1). CS - M. WHELEHAN(2).
In game two, it was the other Smith,
Christopher Smith (Colonie, Colonie), who shut out Fredonia as the Red Dragons defeat the Blue Devils 2-0.
Oneonta went ahead in the first as sophomore
Bryan Marotta (Clifton Park, Shenendehowa) doubled to right center scoring sophomore
Michael DeCarr (Syracuse, Westhill).
Smith struck out the side in the second, third, and fourth innings and ended the game with 10 strikeouts.
In the fourth, it was Marotta in the action again, he came around to score after a single up the left side of the field, he stole second, and scored off senior
Pete Lindner (Voorheesville, Voorheesville)'s double to left.
Freshman
Jake Robinson (East Norwich, Oyster Bay) came in the ninth to capture the save with two strikouts.
The Red Dragons will complete the three-game series versus Fredonia tomorrow on Red Dragon Field at 1 pm.
Score by Innings              R H E
-------------------------------------------
Fredonia............    000 000 000 - 0 2 1
Oneonta State....... 100 100 00X - 2 7 0
-------------------------------------------
E - Kephart(3). DP - FRBASE11 1; Oneonta 1. LOB - FRBASE11 5; Oneonta 6. 2B - B. MAROTTA(4); P. LINDNER(2); J. WOLFANGER(3). HBP - Gahagen. SB - M. DECARR(3); B. MAROTTA(1).