CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Felician College baseball team fell behind, 7-1, after three innings of its 11-4 metal-bat, non-conference loss to Walsh University during The Winning Inning Invitational on Wednesday morning at Jack Russell Stadium. Felician (3-7) suffered its fourth consecutive loss.

Felician sophomore third-baseman Scott De Jong (North Haledon, N.J.) went 3 for 5 with a double, a stolen base, and two runs batted in. Through Wednesday night, De Jong led all Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference players in home runs (3), RBI (14) and steals (6).

Freshman pitcher John-Paul Codelia (Brooklyn, N.Y.) (0-1) made his first career start for Felician. After Codelia tossed a hitless first, Walsh (5-6), the designated home team, did not allow him to finish the bottom of the second. The Cavaliers loaded the bases, then received a one-out sacrifice fly from Jake Palidar (Wadsworth, Ohio). Consecutive run-scoring singles chased Codelia, and Justin Clements (Massillon, Ohio) completed his line by greeting reliever Joe Neri (Laurence Harbor, N.J.) with a two-run single.

Neri surrendered two runs (one earned) in the third inning, but battled through 4 1/3 frames allowing only those two scores. He gave up four hits. The Cavaliers picked up four more runs off of the back end of the Felician bullpen in the late innings.

The Golden Falcons out-hit Walsh, 10-9, but left 12 runners on base. Seniors Gabriel Fellin (Temple, Pa.) and Joe Petosa (Spotswood, N.J.) were each 2 for 4 for Felician.

Walsh junior right-hander Brandon Whitslar (Seville, Ohio) (1-0) earned the victory, scattering six hits over six innings and giving up one run. Leadoff man Jordan Shank (Canton, Ohio) was 2 for 2 with a pair of sacrifices for the Cavaliers.

Six batters were hit by pitches in the contest – three for each team.