LYNDHURST, N.J. – A four-run first inning and a solid pitching start from junior right-hander Michael Gutierrez (Garfield, N.J./Garfield) keyed the Felician University baseball team's 11-5 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference victory over visiting Caldwell University on Tuesday afternoon at the Lyndhurst Recreation Complex.

Sophomore first baseman Edwin Tavarez (Garfield, N.J./Garfield) homered and drove in four runs and junior third baseman Andrew Florides (Glen Cove, N.Y./Holy Cross) tripled and scored three runs for Felician (5-9, 3-1 CACC). Both players were 2 for 4. Caldwell received three hits from graduate third baseman Luis Rullan (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield).

Felician took control early with its first inning rally. Junior Sean Downey (Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth) jump-started the uprising with a one-out RBI double. Two batters later, Tavarez single up the middle to score Downey. An errant pickoff throw plated a third run, and freshman Alex Torres (Jackson, N.J./Jackson) followed by grounding a two-out RBI single. The Golden Falcons also drew three walks in the frame.

Gutierrez (2-1) worked through six innings. He gave up five hits and three walks while striking out six Cougars. Caldwell picked up two runs (one earned) in the fifth, but Felician responded with a three-spot in the home half to take control – two on a deep Tavarez sacrifice fly, with Shawn Vazquez (Millville, N.J./Vineland) chugging around to score from second base.

Tavarez hit a solo home run and Garrett Allo (Monroe Township, N.J./East Brunswick Tech) had a pinch-hit RBI groundout in the seventh, and Vazquez drove in two runs with an eighth-inning triple.

Felician's Levis Aguila (Miramar, Fla./Hialeah Gardens) joined Tavarez and Florides with two hits apiece. Elias Negron (Virginia Beach, Va./Ocean Lakes) had a double among two hits for Caldwell (6-3, 4-2), which left 14 runners on base. The teams conclude their three-game CACC North Division series with a doubleheader on Sunday in Caldwell, N.J.

Felician is next in action on Thursday in a doubleheader against Wilmington (Del.) University at noon in New Castle, Del.