DAVENPORT, Fla. - The Albertus Magnus College baseball team lost its opening game of the 2026 season, 10-5 to Juniata College on Saturday evening at the RussMatt Florida Invitational.

Adriel Espada (Bridgeport, Conn.) was 4-for-5 with a double, three runs, two stolen bases and an RBI. Eric Galarza (Bridgeport, Conn.) was 2-for-5 with a double, a run and an RBI. Mark Whittington (Meriden, Conn.) also had an RBI while reaching base three times.

Joey O'Hara (Bethel, Conn.) finished with two hits.

THE BASICS

FINAL: Juniata 10 | Albertus 5

RECORDS: Albertus (0-1) | Juniata (3-0)

BOX

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Juniata scored two runs in the top of the first inning after two bases loaded walks, but the Falcons answered in the bottom of the inning with two runs of their own. Espada started the inning with a single, advanced to second on a passed ball and scored as the ball was thrown away while he was stealing third. Galarza then hit a one-out double and scored on a single from Whittington.
• After scoring a run in the top of the third, Juniata scored three more in the top of the fourth, including a two-run homer by Jace Irvin. The Falcons got one run back in the bottom of the fourth as Galarza's RBI single scored Espada, who doubled with one out, cutting the Albertus deficit to 6-3.
• Zach Johnston drove in a run for Juniata in the top of the fifth and hit a two-run homer in the seventh to make it a 10-3 game.
• The Falcons rallied for two runs in the bottom of the eighth as Espada drove in a run to score Anthony Abate (Naugatuck, Conn.), who walked to open the inning. An error by Juniata off the bat as Robert Anton (Woodbury, Conn.) would later score Espada for the final tally of the game.

ON THE HILL

Albertus

Peyton Thomas (Washington, Conn.) 3.1 IP | 2 Hits | 6 Runs | 6 ER | 9 BB | 5 K

Sam Granata (Bridgewater, Conn.) 1.2 IP | 2 Hits | 1 Run | 1 ER | 1 BB | 0 K

Jack Angelo (East Haven, Conn.) 2.0 IP | 3 Hits | 3 Runs | 2 ER | 0 BB | 0 K

Hristos Tomczak (Wallingford, Conn.) 2.0 IP | 0 Hits | 0 Runs | 0 ER | 1 BB | 0 K

Juniata

Braelan Huber (W, 1-0) 3.2 IP | 8 Hits | 3 Runs | 2 ER | 2 BB | 7 K

Tim Coleman 1.1 IP | 0 Hits | 0 Runs | 0 ER | 2 BB | 2 K

Krieg Pierce 2.0 IP | 1 Hit | 0 Runs | 0 ER | 0 BB | 4 K

Robbie Pliszka 2.0 IP | 1 Hit | 2 Runs | 0 ER | 2 BB | 0 K 

AT THE PLATE

Albertus

Adriel Espada 4-for-5 | 3 Runs | 1 RBI | 1 2B | 2 SB

Eric Galarza 2-for-5 | 1 Run | 1 RBI | 1 2B

Joey O'Hara 2-for-4 | 1 BB

Mark Whittington 1-for-3 | 1 RBI | 2 BB 

Juniata

Zach Johnston 2-for-3 | 2 Runs | 3 RBI | 1 HR

Jace Irvin 2-for-4 | 3 Runs | 2 RBI | 1 BB 

NOTEWORTHY

Espada now has four games in his career with at least four hits. Dating back to last season he is now on an ten game hitting streak.

UP NEXT

Albertus takes on Gordon at 1 p.m. and Gwynedd Mercy at 5 p.m. in the RussMatt on Sunday.