FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2-5-06

College Baseball: No. 14 AASU 6, Barry 3

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Senior closer Matt Nalutka picked up where he left off in 2006, notching his first save of the season and preserving Armstrong Atlantic’s first win of the year, a 6-3 victory over visiting Barry University at Pirate Field on Sunday afternoon.

The Pirates (1-0-1) took a 6-1 lead into the eighth inning against Barry (0-3), thanks to a couple of big hits by the middle of the AASU lineup. Cleanup hitter Miguel Donate delivered a two-run triple in the third inning to spark a four-run third inning, then first baseman Daniel Heflin knocked a solo shot to deep center field in the seventh to put the Pirates up by a 6-1 score.

The Buccaneers rallied in the eighth, pushing across two runs against AASU reliever Jacob Roberson. Cesar Aranguren notched an RBI double and Nick Corbeil delivered an RBI single down the left field line to cut the lead to 6-3. In the top of the ninth, Orestes Gonzalez began the inning with a single up the middle, but Nalutka was summoned from the pen and retired the Bucs 1-2-3 to pick up the save, striking out Jerry Thornton looking to end the game.

Heflin had two hits and three RBI to lead the Pirates, while Donate added two hits as well. Aranguren went 2-for-4 with two RBI to lead the Bucs offensively.

Jeremy Horst (1-0) hurled four innings of one-hit ball, giving up one run, to pick up the win for the Pirates. Glenn Zavitz (0-1) gave up five runs – four earned – and six hits in 2 1/3 innings pitched to take the loss for the Bucs. Nalutka’s scoreless appearance was his 28th in 29 career games for the Pirates.

Barry will take on Tusculum at 10:00 a.m. on Monday morning at Pirate Field, while AASU will take on Tusculum at 2:00 p.m., also on Monday at Pirate Field.

- Pirates -