Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 Raleigh, N.C. – The Fighting Owls' bats were alive in full force this past weekend, as the team outscored the Wake Tech Eagles 29-10 on the road to begin the season 3-0 for the first time since 2022, coincidentally, the last time Harford earned a spot in the NJCAA Division I World Series.
 
The Harford pitching staff did its part, allowing just nine earned runs on 12 hits in the three games – including only four extra base hits – while striking out 28 batters. One area the staff would like to improve upon is the 21 walks, however, the effort was more than enough to take three games.
 
The Fighting Owls took the first game of the three-game set 11-5. Keldrin Rodriguez (Bronx, N.Y.) smacked a three-run homer to right field to start the scoring. The two teams would trade blows and the game was tied at five after six innings.
 
In the seventh, Harford regained the lead at 7-5 after a couple of Eagles misplays. The Fighting Owls tacked on four insurance runs in the eighth, highlighted by Ryan Albin's (Southhampton, Pa.) two-run triple that capped the game's scoring.
 
Kyle Tuthill (Morrisville, Pa.) notched the win for the Fighting Owls in relief, pitching two innings, allowing one unearned run on one hit and struck out two. Liam Diehl (Hereford) started the game and pitched to a no decision, allowing four runs on five hits, while striking out five and walking four over four innings. Matthew Rubin (Naples, Fla.) earned the save, going three innings to close it out, allowing just two hits, while striking out five and walking none.
 
Frank Adamski (John Carroll School), Albin and Ty Mercado (Ocean View, N.J.) had two hits apiece and the Fighting Owls demonstrated patience in the box, collecting nine walks for the game.
 
Michael Lavanga (Alexandria, Va.), Albin, and Mercado led the team with two walks each. A.J. Guiliana (Florham Park, N.J.) stole two bases, as Harford ran wild, finishing with six stolen bases for the game.
 
Harford took the nightcap of the day/night double header 6-2, again getting the scoring started in the first inning.
 
This time, Harford got on the board after a wild pitch scored the first run of the game. An RBI single by Andrew Pedrick (Woodstown, N.J.) extended the Owls lead to 2-0 in the top of the second inning.
 
Harford added one run in the third (Guiliana RBI single, following a six-pitch at-bat) and one in the fourth to take a 4-0 lead.
 
Wake Tech never got closer than two before Harford added a pair in the seventh.
 
Ryan Garcia (Centreville, Va.) earned the win for the Fighting Owls, giving up three hits and one run over two and two-thirds innings, striking out four and walking four. Titus Shay (Harrisburg, Pa.) pitched three clean innings in relief to pick up the save. The right hander gave up zero hits and no runs while striking out four and walking two.
 
Yariel Rodriguez (Philadelphia, Pa.), Guiliana, Jeremy Reyes (Queens, N.Y. ), Albin, Jack Fitzpatrick (Sewell, N.J.), and Pedrick each had a hit for Harford. Reyes and Pedrick each drove in two runs and Rodriguez, Albin, and Fitzpatrick each stole multiple bases.
 
Harford completed the sweep on Saturdaywith a convincing 12-3 victory, pounding out 13 hits in the process.
 
Albin, Adamski, Derek Poole (Archbishop Curley) and Danny Witters (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.) led the way at the plate, collecting two RBIs apiece, from the top and bottom of the lineup. Adamski alone went 4-for-5 and scored two runs.
 
Lavanga and Danny Scullion (Medford Lakes, N.J.) added an RBI each, combining to go 3-for-6. Lavanga also scored three runs.
 
On the mound, Harford used four pitchers. Lion Gardiner was relieved in the second by Christian Nielsen (Travelers Rest, S.C.) after the right-handed Bethesda, Md. native started the game rocky, giving up two earned on two hits and four walks.
 
Nielsen earned the win in relief, giving up zero runs on one hit in three and a third innings. Toren Choudri (Queens, N.Y.) gave up one earned run in a third of an inning and Ben Christine (Olney, Md.) pitched the final two and two thirds, striking out four and giving up just one hit.  

The Fighting Owls are scheduled to head to Florence, S.C. this weekend for four games in as many days against Florence-Darlington, East Georgia State and Gaston College.