SANFORD, FL -- The Alfred University baseball teamed opened the 2025 campaign on spring break in Florida against Berea College from Kentucky. The Saxons made it interesting, but ended up in the loss column for both games.

"We got to see a lot today from a wide range of players and how things are going to work together," Head Coach Brian Kehew said. "There's lots of potential, and we're looking forward to seeing how it comes together this week as guys get comfortable."

Game One

The first runs of the season came in the second inning when first-year Jack Grider (Stafford, VA/Brooke Point) knocked one up the middle which was mishandled by the shortstop. This allowed the two runners in scoring position to come home.

Fighting down in the late innings, Nolan Pridmore (Toronto, ON, Canada/Etobicoke Collegiate Institute) blasted a ball over the right field wall to tie it at three. Starting pitcher Keith Mintschenko (West Grove, PA/Avon Grove) went five innings in his collegiate debut, followed up by Benjamin Weimer (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) 21-pitch outing. He wrapped up what was a 5-3 deficit in the end.

Game Two

11 runs filled up the first inning combined between the Saxons and Bears. AU batted around in the bottom half of the inning, bringing home four runs. Cameron Brought (Wellsboro, PA/Wellsboro Area) opened up with a single. Angelo DeFilippis (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic) and Benjamin Croote (Middleburgh, NY/Middleburgh) on an error followed suit.

Walked in runs were drawn by Noah Madueno (Florence, AZ/Florence) and Michael Ciardiello (Rutherford, NJ/Rutherford) to tack on two more runs. While the Saxons had to use five pitchers throughout the afternoon, Owen Jennings (Newcastle, ON, Canada/St. Stephen's Secondary) came out of the pen with 4.1 innings thrown and six strikeouts.

Saturday's games were the first of many to come under the warm Florida sun in the coming week. AU is right back at it Sunday against Emerson College with another doubleheader at 3:30 and 6 p.m.