AMBLER – Alex Madera finished 5-for-5, part of seven extra base hits as a team as the No. 6/9 Arcadia University baseball team opened its Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) series against FDU-Florham with a 9-2 victory at Skip Wilson Field on Friday afternoon.
 
The Knights continued their red-hot play, winning their eighth-straight to improve to 15-1 in conference and 30-4 overall.
 
FDU-Florham opened the scoring with two unearned runs in the top of the first.
 
Arcadia got a run back in the bottom of the first when Madera led off with a hustle triple to left and scored on Justin Massielo's sacrifice fly to right.
 
The Knights took the lead for good in the bottom of the second when Joseph Kumar hit a one-out single to center and stole second. After Emilio Pallante was hit by a pitch, Griffin Murphy brought both runners home with a double over the right fielder's head, followed by a bunt single from Madera that was thrown into right field by the catcher allowing Murphy to score.
 
Arcadia added on in the bottom of the fifth when Madera hit a one-out double to left, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on Hunter Curley's groundout to third.
 
Ryan Smolen led off the bottom of the sixth with a triple and after a fielding error by the third baseman allowed Zachary Sekelick to reach first, Matt Donchez laid down a bunt with the pitcher coming home too late, but the catcher still had enough time to nab Donchez at first, with Sekelick moving to third on the play and scoring when Pallante brought hit a sacrifice fly to center. Nick Opalkowski was hit by a pitch and after a pitching change Madera hit a double down the left field line scoring Opalkowski. After Madera moved to third on a wild pitch Curley singled to right center bringing home Madera to finish the scoring.
 
Hunter Sibley moved to 6-1 with the victory, allowing just the two unearned runs over seven innings with five hits and two walks while striking out six. Carson Denham finished the game with two scoreless innings, striking out four.
 
Madera finished a home run shy of the cycle in his 5-for-5 outing, scoring three runs while driving home one. Smolen went 2-for-4 with one run scored.
 
Arcadia returns to action tomorrow when it travels to FDU-Florham for a 12:00 p.m. MAC Freedom doubleheader.