CLEARWATER, Fla. – A three-run fifth-inning and solid relief pitching by junior Matthew Facendo (Hazlet, N.J.) gave Felician College a 6-4 victory in Game 1 of its non-conference baseball doubleheader with Saginaw Valley State University during The Winning Inning Invitational on Sunday morning at Jack Russell Stadium. Felician (3-4) was held to three base hits in its 6-1 loss in Game 2.

Both of Sunday's contests were scheduled seven-inning affairs, and were played with metal bats.

In the opener, the teams were tied, 3-3, after four innings. Saginaw Valley State, the designated visiting team, reached Facendo (1-0) for a two-out run in the top of the fifth on an RBI single by sophomore catcher Richard Guglielmi (Canton, Mich.).

Felician's Scott De Jong (North Haledon, N.J.) was hit by a pitch from Cardinal reliever Dale Reetz (Saginaw, Mich.) (0-1) to start the bottom of the fifth. De Jong was sacrificed to second base and advanced to third on a passed ball. Following a walk, a single by pinch-hitter Joe Petosa (Spotswood, N.J.) plated De Jong.

Felician freshman J.R. Meneses (Lake Worth, Fla.) followed by lofting a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing home pinch-runner Eric Pecoraro (Toms River, N.J.) with the go-ahead run. The Golden Falcons received an insurance tally two batters later when another pinch-runner, Rob Fisher (Matawan, N.J.), scored on an error.

Facendo finished strong, striking out five and walking none over three innings without allowing another run. Starter Jerry Vasto (Atlantic Highlands, N.J.) had fanned six and walked three, allowing four hits in four innings of work. Senior shortstop Aaron Brill (West Palm Beach, Fla.) was 2 for 4 and freshman designated hitter Brennan Price (Middlesex, N.J.) had a two-run double for the Golden Falcons. Guglielmi was 2 for 4 and drove in three runs for SVSU.

Meneses led off the top of the third inning of Game 2 with a single and later scored on a double from Gabe Fellin (Temple, Pa.), but those were the only two hits Felician could muster in six innings off of Cardinal senior left-hander Andrew Geese (Saginaw, Mich.) (1-0). Geese struck out seven batters and walked two.  

Golden Falcon sophomore John Holland (Jackson, N.J.) (0-2) started and took the loss on the mound after surrendering three runs to SVSU in the bottom of the third. Brad Schalk (Sterling Heights, Mich.) had a two-run single and later scored on a double from Tyler Schwanz (Novi, Mich.). The Cardinals scored three more times off of the Felician bullpen in the fifth, picking up three hits and taking advantage of two Golden Falcon errors.

Schwanz finished 3 for 3 to lead the Cardinals' nine-hit attack.