By Bob Heller
USIP Sports Information Director

Millersville University exploded for eight runs in the first three innings as they handed the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia men's baseball team a 16-6 defeat at Stayer's Field in Millersville, Pennsylvania yesterday afternoon.

The loss drops the Devils to 3-10 overall. Millersville improves to 3-17 overall.

Millersville got on the scoreboard first, with three hits in the second inning, including a double and a triple to take a 3-0 lead. The Devils got one back in the top of the third as Rich Cipoletti (Sr., Half Hollow Hills West HS/Dix Hills, N.Y.) led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on Phil Maher's (Jr., Norristown HS/Norristown, Pa.) ground out. Mark Forbes (Fr., Salesianum HS/Hockessin, Del.) then hit a sacrifice fly to right field allowing Cipoletti to score putting the Devils on the board, 3-1.

The Marauders took advantage of two USP errors in the bottom of the third, scoring five times to take an 8-1 lead and chasing USP starter Michael DeVincenzo (Sr., Bishop Hoban HS/Plains, Pa.) in the process. Millersville added a solo run in the fourth inning and three more in the fifth to take a 12 -1 lead heading into the top of the sixth inning.

Forbes singled to lead off the top of the sixth and DeVincenzo, now the designated hitter, hit his first home run of the season to make the score 12-3. The score remained 12-3 until the Marauders struck for four more runs in the bottom of the seventh, again taking advantage of a pair of fielding errors by the Devils to take a 16-3 lead.

USP made one last push in their final at-bat. Justin DeVincenzo (Sr., Bishop Hoban HS/Plains, Pa.) doubled to lead off the inning. Two batters and two outs later, Chris Pino (Jr., Hazleton Area HS/West Hazleton, Pa.) reached on a fielding error, allowing David Kittle (So., Camden Catholic HS/Maple Shade, N.J.), who was running for DeVincenzo to score. Chris Longo (Jr., Cherry Hill East HS/Cherry Hill, N.J.) followed with a single to score Pino. Cipoletti then got his second hit of the game, a single to advance James Battaglia (Jr., Southern Regional HS/ Waretown, N.J.), who was running for Longo to third. Battaglia came around to score on Maher's second hit of the game, a double to right center, making the score 16-6 before Forbes ended the game by flying out to center field.

Michael DeVincenzo took the loss, falling to 0-2 on the season. DeVincenzo pitched 2 2/3 innings giving up eight runs (three earned) while striking out three. Jesse Shablin (1-2) picked up the win for Millersville, who banged out 20 total hits (11 for extra bases). Maher and Cipoletti each had two hits for the Devils who produced a total of 10 hits on the afternoon.

The Devils return home to take on Dominican College in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader on Saturday, March 31, 2007 at Richie Ashburn Field in Philadelphia. The first game is scheduled to start at noon.