Here is a weekly wrap-up of University of Scranton athletic events. To see the full Royal Review release, visit http://matrix.scranton.edu/athletics/gnmar142011.shtml.

Baseball (3-1/0-0 Landmark Conference)
The baseball team finally got a break from Mother Nature.

After its first three games were postponed due to inclement weather, the Royals stepped onto the baseball diamond for the first time on Saturday, March 12, against Cazenovia College in a non-conference 7-inning doubleheader at Diamond Nation in Flemington, N.J.

Behind the clutch hitting of senior David Giglio (Wallingford, Conn./Xavier), Scranton swept both games, winning the opener, 14-1, and overcoming a 5-run deficit in the sixth inning to win the nightcap, 10-9. Giglio blasted a grand slam in the first game and drove in the winning run in the second with a single in the bottom of the seventh. 

Junior pitcher Rocky Sawyer (Bethlehem/Liberty) picked up his first victory by striking out nine batters in five innings of work in the opener.  In the second game, freshman Christopher Rom (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh) came on in relief in the seventh in a pressure-packed situation and induced a sacrifice fly and a ground out to earn the win.

Scranton also received home runs from junior Jesse Outhouse (Croton Falls, N.Y./North Salem) in the first game and sophomore Greg Monastra (West Chester/Cardinal O’Hara) in the second.

On Sunday, the Royals split a doubleheader against Widener University in Chester. Scranton took advantage of four errors to score six unearned runs en route to a 10-4 victory in the opener. In the second game, the Royals managed only one hit off Pioneer junior pitcher Kevin Culbert in dropping a 4-1 decision.

Sophomore Michael Gaeta (Cranford, N.J./Cranford) led the Royals with two hits, including an RBI double during a four-run rally in the fourth inning, and senior Jason Lane (Moosic, Pa./Riverside) drove in two runs during a two-run rally in the fifth in the first game.  In the second game, sophomore catcher Michael Amaturo (Rye, N.Y./Rye) spoiled Culbert’s bid for a no-hitter with a single down the left-field line with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Men’s Lacrosse (2-2/0-0 Landmark Conference)
The men’s lacrosse played its first road game of the season on Wednesday, March 9, against Nazareth College in Rochester, N.Y.

The Golden Flyers outscored the Royals 7-3 in the second half to break away from a two-goal lead at intermission on their way to a 15-9 victory.

Senior attackers Daniel Slade (Doylestown/Central Bucks East) and JP Barton (North Brunswick, N.J./St. Joseph Metuchen) and junior midfielder Mike Rufo (Broomall/Haverford School) paced Scranton with two goals apiece and senior attacker Robert Pantages (Roseland, N.J./West Essex), freshman midfielder John Gregitis (Wayne/St. Joseph’s Preparatory) and freshman attacker Gus Sturm (Devon/Conestoga) contributed one apiece.

The Royals also received an assist apiece from senior attacker Sean Coleman (Philadelphia/Roman Catholic) and sophomore attacker Taylor Nelson (Chester Springs/Downingtown East).

Women’s Lacrosse (1-2/0-0 Landmark Conference)
The women’s lacrosse team split a pair of games during the period.

On Tuesday, March 8, the Royals scored five straight goals to erase a 12-7 second-half deficit before Montclair State answered with a 3-1 rally to pull out a 15-13 victory in Upper Montclair, N.J.  First-year attacker Kerry Sullivan (Oceanport, N.J./Shore Regional) led Scranton with five goals and senior defender Katie Slade (Buckingham/Central Bucks East) finished with two goals, three caused turnovers, three ground balls and two draw controls.

Scranton won its first game of the season on Friday, March 11, with a convincing 17-7 victory over Elmira College at Fitzpatrick Field. The Royals scored the first 10 goals of the game en route to an 11-1 lead by intermission.

Slade scored four goals, senior attacker Caroline Pryor (Robbinsville, N.J./Notre Dame) had three goals and two assists, and sophomore attacker Deanna Giorno (Warrington/Central Bucks South) contributed three goals as the Royals avoided their first 0-3 start since 2004.

In two games, sophomore goalie Kathleen Smart (Hatboro/Archbishop Wood) finished with 14 saves.

Tuesday, March 15
Women’s Tennis – at Elizabethtown (3:30 p.m.)

Wednesday, March 16
Men’s Lacrosse – HARTWICK (3 P.M., FITZPATRICK FIELD)
Women’s Lacrosse – at Neumann (7 p.m.)

Friday, March 18
Women’s Lacrosse – at Oneonta St. (3 p.m.)

Saturday, March 19
Baseball- at Merchant Marine Academy (DH) (1 p.m.)
Men’s Lacrosse – at Marywood (1 p.m.)

Sunday, March 20
Baseball - at Merchant Marine Academy (11 a.m.)