Washington, D.C. – For the fifth consecutive year, the Patriots opened their season with a double-header against the Bison of Gallaudet University. The Bison (2-0) took the first game 22-6 in seven innings of play. In similar fashion, Gallaudet claimed the second game 22-5 in a five-inning matchup.

During the first seven, Valley Forge gathered a total of 8 hits. Freshman Zachary Andrews (Uniontown, OH.) led the Patriots at the plate with 3 hits. Senior Andre D'Cunha (San Francisco, Calif.) collected 2 hits with a double shot to leftfield. The Patriots rallied 4 runs in the second after D'Cunha sparked the offense with a single to left. Valley Forge found two additional runs in the fifth after the D'Cunha double, allowing freshman Thomas Bost (Stryker, OH) to score. Andrews followed suit with a shot up the middle to advance D'Cunha across the plate. The Bison would prove to be too much for the Patriots as they scored in every inning.

In the second game, the Patriots jumped on the scoreboard with 3 runs at the top of the first. After freshman Matthew Cromyak (Cumbola, Pa.) advanced to first from a walk, D'Cunha hit a hard grounder to shortstop to put Cromyak in scoring position. Senior Cody Rak (DeLand, Fl.) wore a pitch to fill the bases, allowing senior Jeffery Espinal (Camden, NJ.) to double to center, scoring Cromyak, D'Cunha, and Rak. Gallaudet quickly responded with 3 runs in their next at-bat off of starting pitcher Cody Rak, and 22 total runs off of 13 hits.

The Patriots will return to the diamond on Saturday, February 22^nd as they face the Nittany Lions of Penn State Hazleton on a neutral site in Flemington, NJ at 12/2:30.