PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. --- The Moravian College baseball team knocked off its second nationally-ranked opponent of the season, topping No. 25 Adrian (Mich.) College, 9-8 in 10 innings, at the Snowbird Classic.
The Greyhounds, who defeated then-No. 17 Keystone College on February 23, are now 5-1 on the season after playing their second extra-inning game in just over 24 hours in Florida.
Junior third baseman Ryan Luke was 3-for-5 for the Hounds with three RBIs and a double while junior outfielder Matt Hanson was 2-for-5 while becoming the 24th player in school history to reach 100 career hits. Sophomore first baseman Charles Savite was also 2-for-5 while senior outfielder Joseph Connell went 2-for-6. Junior second baseman Alex Longernecker drew three walks in the game and crossed the plate three times for the Hounds.
Moravian tied the game in the bottom of the first inning at 1-1 on an RBI single by Hanson that pushed him over the 100-hit milestone. The Greyhounds took a 3-1 lead with two runs in the second on an RBI single from junior shortstop Colin Case and an error.
Adrian pulled ahead and led 7-3 after a five-run fifth inning. The Greyhounds answered back with a run in the fifth on an RBI double from Connell and two runs in the sixth off of a two-RBI double by Luke. Moravian tied the game at 7-7 in the bottom half of the eighth inning when Luke connected on an RBI single.
The Bulldogs pulled back in front with a run in the top of the ninth inning, but the Greyhounds responded to tie the game on an RBI ground out by Longernecker to force extra innings.
After sophomore pitcher Brett Wagner worked a scoreless top of the tenth inning, Hanson led off the bottom half of the stanza with a double down the left field line and scored the winning run on an RBI infield single by freshman Anthony Gaetaniello with two outs.
Wagner picked up his first win of the season, allowing a run on five hits and three walks while striking out four batters in 5.1 innings of relief action for the Greyhounds. Senior Thomas Mariano started on the mound and tossed four-plus innings before sophomore Hunter Guard came to the hill for 2/3 of an inning.
Moravian returns to action at the Snowbird Classic on Tuesday, March 4 when the squad takes on Bluffton (Ohio) University at 2:30 p.m. at the North Charlotte Regional Park.
