BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The fourth seeded United States Merchant Marine Academy baseball team scored four runs over the final three innings to knock off top seed and No. 22 ranked Moravian College, 5-2, in the opening game of the 2014 Landmark Conference Tournament being hosted by the Greyhounds at Gillespie Field Saturday.
USMMA, now 21-11-1, heads to the winner's bracket game on Sunday, May 4 at 12:30 p.m. versus the winner of Saturday's second game between second seed Susquehanna University and third seed The Catholic University of America. The Greyhounds, who are 29-9 on the season, will play in the first elimination game of the tournament on Sunday at 9:00 a.m. versus the loser of the Susquehanna-Catholic game.
The Mariners jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Sophomore designated player Quinn Fleming was hit by a pitch to start the game, and he scored on a one-out single down the right field line by senior second baseman Warren Hartmann.
The Greyhounds answered with a run in the home half of the first. Junior right fielder Matt Hanson drew a two-out walk and scored on an RBI single though the left side by junior third baseman Ryan Luke.
USMMA threatened in the fourth by loading the bases with no outs but Moravian senior starter Robert Solano would get a fly out and a pair of ground outs to keep the game tied at 1-1.
Moravian moved in front, 2-1, with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Freshman left fielder Anthony Gaetaniello ripped a two-out RBI single to score sophomore catcher Mike Roethke, who had reached on an error.
The Hounds looked as if they had extended the lead in the bottom of the fifth when senior center fielder Joseph Connell put down a bunt to first base with Hanson heading home. Hanson was ruled to not have touched the plate on his slide and was tagged out trying to get back to the plate.
The Mariners tied the game at 2-2 with a run in the top of the seventh. Senior center fielder Andrew MacKinnon ripped an RBI single to right field with the bases loaded to score junior catcher Jacob Wood. USMMA tried to take the lead on the play, sending freshman outfielder Daniel Pino to the plate. Sophomore first baseman Charles Savite relayed Hanson's throw to the plate where Roethke tagged out Pino, who also ejected on the play for not sliding and running over Roethke.
USMMA retook the lead, 4-2, with a pair of runs in the top of the eighth inning. Junior left fielder Joseph Policastro hit a bases loaded RBI ground out to score Hartmann, and freshman third baseman Richard Kernan followed with an RBI single to center field that saw another Mariner runner thrown out at the plate to keep the Moravian deficit at two runs.
The Mariners added an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning for a 5-2 edge. Freshman right fielder Matthew Thomson started the inning with a single and scored on an RBI single by senior shortstop Danny Collins.
USMMA had a 10-6 edge in hits with Hartmann going 3-for-4 and Collins going 2-for-4. Luke was 2-for-4 at the plate to lead the Greyhounds.
Freshman Patrick Morgan improved to 5-2 on the season for the Mariners, allowing two unearned runs on six hits and two walks to go with two strikeouts.
Solano tossed 6.2 innings for the Greyhounds, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out three. Senior Chris Soltys took his first loss of the season in relief for Moravian after giving up three runs on six hits and two walks to go along with two strikeouts. Senior Ben Hammel struck out the only batter he faced in the contest for the Hounds.
