LAKE MYRTLE, Fla. - The Albertus Magnus College baseball team dropped both ends of its season-opening doubleheader to Widener University, 14-3 and 8-4 on Saturday afternoon.

Elijah Spataj (Cheshire, Conn.) had two hits, an RBI and a run in game one. Vance Ward (Norwalk, Conn.) went 3-for-4 in game two with a double, an RBI and a run while Shawn Smith (Shelton, Conn.) drove in two runs.

THE BASICS

GAME 1: Widener 14 | Albertus Magnus 3

GAME 2: Widener 8 | Albertus Magnus 4

RECORDS: Albertus (0-2) | Widener (4-5)

GAME 1

FINAL: Widener 14 | Albertus 3

BOX

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Widener struck first with a homer from Jack Balcer to lead off the game and added one more run in the top of the third.
• In the bottom of the third, the Falcons put up three runs as Ward and Adriel Espada (Bridgeport, Conn.) opened up the inning with back-to-back singles. After Espada was caught stealing and a strikeout, Spataj drove in Ward with a single and Eric Galarza (Bridgeport, Conn.) followed with a double to tie the game. Smith followed with an RBI single to put Albertus up, 3-2.
• The Pride took the lead back in the top of the fourth on a two-run single by Sean Burke to make it a 5-3 game. Burke followed with a solo homer in his next at bat in the sixth inning which made it a 7-3 game. 
• The Pride scored four runs in both the sixth and seventh innings as the game finished in seven innings.

ON THE HILL

Albertus

Tyler Baldwin (Cromwell, Conn.) (L, 0-1) 3.2 IP | 7 Hits | 5 Runs | 5 ER | 4 BB | 3 K

Alexander Heidel (New Britain, Conn.) 2.0 IP | 7 Hits | 5 Runs | 5 ER | 0 BB | 2 K

Nick Kownack (Schenectady, N.Y.) 1.1 IP | 3 Hits | 4 Runs | 3 ER | 3 BB | 1 K

Widener

Trae Sanders (W, 2-0) 6 IP | 7 Hits | 3 Runs | 3 ER | 1 BB | 7 K

Alex Mihos 1 IP | 0 Hits | 0 Runs | 0 ER | 1 BB | 2 K

AT THE PLATE

Albertus

Elijah Spataj 2-for-3 | 1 2B | 1 Run | 1 RBI

Eric Galarza 1-for-3 | 1 2B | 1 Run | 1 RBI

Widener

Jack Balcer 4-for-4 | 1 HR | 1 2B | 2 Runs | 2 RBI

Sean Burke 3-for-5 | 1 HR | 2 Runs | 3 RBI

Tyler Harper 2-for-4 | 1 2B | 1 Run | 2 RBI

GAME 2

FINAL: Widener 8 | Albertus 4

BOX

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Espada started the top of the first with a bunt single and advanced to third on an error before Ward drove him in with a single to center.
• Widener, however, scored three runs in back-to-back innings, including an RBI bunt single by Chris McKenna in the bottom of the first.
• In the bottom of the second Kevin Bukowski and Burke each had an RBI double, putting the Pride up, 6-1.
• The Falcons responded in the top of the third with two runs. Espada drew a walk to open the inning, followed by a double by Ward to put runners on second and third. After a walk to Eddy Garabito (Norwalk, Conn.) to load the bases, Smith ripped a two-run single to make it a 6-3 game.
• The Pride scored one in the bottom of the third, and the Falcons answered with an RBI single from Galarza made it a 7-4 game.
• McKenna added a homer for the Pride for the final run of the game.

ON THE HILL

Albertus

Albert Molina (Terryville, Conn.) (L, 0-1) 1.2 IP | 5 Hits | 6 Runs | 6 ER | 5 BB | 2 K

Riley Corgan (New Milford, Conn.) 2.1 IP | 2 Hits | 1 Run | 1 ER | 3 BB | 1 K

Jack Angelo (East Haven, Conn.) 2.0 IP | 2 Hits | 1 Run | 1 ER | 1 BB | 2 K

Widener

Jackson Houy 2.2 IP | 5 Hits | 3 Runs | 3 ER | 2 BB | 2 K

Aidan O'Brien (W, 2-0) 4.1 IP | 3 Hits | 1 Run | 1 ER | 2 BB | 4K

AT THE PLATE

Albertus

Vance Ward 3-for-4 | 1 2B | 1 Run | 1 RBI

Shawn Smith 1-for-4 | 2 RBI

Anthony Abate (Naugatuck, Conn.) 2-for-2

Widener

Jon Aman 2-for-2 | 3 Runs 

Kevin Bukowski 2-for-3 | 2 Runs

Chris McKenna 2-for-3 | 1 HR | 1 Run | 2 RBI

UP NEXT

The Falcons will take on Mt, Saint Mary (N.Y.) on 9:15 a.m. on Sunday.