BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College baseball team swept a Landmark Conference doubleheader versus Susquehanna University at Gillespie Field Saturday in a of extra-inning, walk off wins, taking the first game 5-4 in 10 innings and the night cap 3-2 in 12 innings.
The sweep improved the Greyhounds' overall record to 18-4 as the squad's winning streak reaches 12 games as the Hounds have not lost since their Landmark opener on March 21, a 2-1 decision versus Drew. Moravian has won nine straight conference games and is in sole possession of first in the conference standings with a 9-1 mark.
"We've been fortunate to be on the right side of these walk offs," stated Head Coach Paul Engelhardt. "I'm happy for the kids. They keep fighting and waiting for a break. We got them but that is baseball. You can easily be on the wrong side of those games but we weren't. The guys showed a lot of effort and a lot of heart. It was great for Senior Day."
In the opener, senior second baseman Daniel Seitzinger put down a one-out, bases loaded safety squeeze bunt down the third base line to score junior outfielder Justin Pilchman with the winning run. It was the second time this season that the Hounds won a Landmark game in walk off fashion on a safety squeeze bunt.
"It's not a true squeeze bunt but more of a drag bunt with a runner on third," Engelhardt said of the winning play. "With the third baseman back, or even it he's up, if you put it in the right spot, they have to make the play at home. Nine out of ten times, they aren't going to be able to do it. That play is something that we practice a lot and it worked in the first game. We tried it again in the 10th inning of the second game but it didn't work then. It is something that we like and small ball is a part of the game with the new bats and the kids produced."
In the second contest with the sun rapidly setting on Gillespie Field, the Greyhounds had runners at second and third with one out in the 12th. Susquehanna had the infield pulled up on a 2-2 count when junior third baseman Ryan Luke hits a shallow fly ball down the right field line behind first base. As the Crusaders second baseman catches the ball running away from the infielder, Moravian freshman outfielder Anthony Gaetaniello tags up and slides into home with the winning run, beating the attempted Susquehanna tag.
"We probably had one of the guys you want at the plate for that situation in Ryan," stated Engelhardt. "You hope that he drives the ball but we were sending Anthony anyway on anything hit on the ground. He's so fast we wanted them to make a play. As soon as the ball was in the air and the infielder was running away from it, I told him he was going. He's just so fast that it worked out."
Moravian's bullpen was once again strong in the two games. Senior closer Chris Soltys improved to 5-0 on the season after tossing four innings of relief in the opener. Soltys, who has pitched at least two innings in each of his victories, allowed three hits and two walks while striking out three batters to become the 12th pitcher in school history to record 100 career strikeouts on his final punch out of the day on an afternoon that saw the Greyhounds celebrating Senior Day on their final home Saturday of the regular season.
In the second game, senior Ben Hammel tossed two innings of relief with two strikeouts before sophomore lefty Ian Carbone pitched the final 4.2 innings to earn his first victory of the season. Carbone gave up one hit but also struck out four batters.
"What can you say about these guys," Engelhardt explained. "They went in knowing that it was there ball for a while and they did what they had to do. They weren't putting guys on base. They were making Susquehanna hit the ball, and they competed in the zone and did quite well."
In the opener, Moravian took an early 1-0 lead with a run in the second inning on an RBI ground out by senior center fielder Joseph Connell that scored sophomore first baseman Charles Savite, who had started the inning with a single.
The Greyhounds would make the lead 2-0 in the home half of the fourth inning when junior right fielder Matt Hanson led off with a single and scored on an RBI ground out by Pilchman.
The Crusaders cracked the scoreboard with all four of their runs in the top of the fifth inning including one unearned run.
Moravian answered back in the bottom of the fifth to pull within a run, 4-3, when Hanson hit a two-out single to plate junior shortstop Colin Case, who has started the two-out rally with a walk.
The Hounds tied the opener in the bottom of the sixth as sophomore catcher Mike Roethke connected on an RBI single to score Connell.
The game remained scoreless for three straight innings before Moravian won it in the 10th. Pilchman reached second on a Susquehanna throwing error. Connell drew a walk, and Roethke loaded the bases when everyone was safe on a fielder's choice. Seitzinger then dropped the winning bunt down the third base line for the victory.
Moravian had a 10-7 edge in hits during the first game with Hanson and Connell each going 2-for-4. Senior Rob Solano started on the mound for the Hounds and allowed four runs, three earned, on four hits and three walks through the first six innings of the contest.
In the second game, it was once again the Greyhounds who got on the scoreboard first, this time with a run in the bottom of the third. Senior designated hitter Kyle Spence led off with a single and scored on a double down the left field line by Case.
The Crusaders tied the game with a run in the top half of the fifth, and Susquehanna pulled ahead with another run in the top of the sixth.
Moravian answered the second run right away in the bottom half of the sixth. Hanson and Savite drew two-out walks before senior catcher Matthew Gutkes ripped an RBI single up the middle to score Hanson with the tying run.
Neither team scored over the next five frames but the Greyhounds had the most chances, leaving runners at second and third in the eighth inning and runners on the corners in the 10th.
Luke's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 12th gave the Hounds their fifth walk off win of the season.
Sophomore Brett Wagner started on the mound in the second game for the Hounds and he allowed a pair of runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out six batters.
Susquehanna held an 8-6 edge in hits in the second game as Taylor Luckenbill had a 3-for-6 game and Kyle Semmel and Dylan Jenkins each had two hits.
Moravian and Susquehanna will conclude their three-game Landmark series on Sunday, April 6 with a nine-inning game at Gillespie Field beginning at 12:00 p.m.
