BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- Junior first baseman Charles Savite connected on his first career home run and was 3-for-5 at the plate to help lead the Moravian College baseball team to a 6-2 victory over The University of Scranton in Landmark Conference action at Gillespie Field Wednesday as the Greyhounds played their first home game of the 2015 season.
"We just kept playing today even when a bad thing or two happened. We stayed positive, kept fighting and kept competing, and that was the difference today that maybe we haven't had in some of the other conference games so far this season," commented Head Coach Paul Engelhardt.
Moravian picked up its first conference win of the spring on a cold and rainy day in Bethlehem. The Hounds had an 11-6 advantage in hits with senior third baseman Ryan Luke joining Savite with three hits as Luke went 3-for-3 at the plate. Senior shortstop Colin Case was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs while senior right fielder Matt Hanson was 2-for-5.
Freshman Nicholas Mazzella improved to 2-0 on the mound for the Greyhounds, allowing a run on four hits and two walks to go with a par of strikeouts in seven innings of action. Freshman Ryan Kahn and junior Hunter Guard each tossed an inning of relief in the victory with Kahn registering one strikeout.
Scranton took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning but the Greyhounds answered in the bottom half of the frame to tie the score at 1-1. Luke doubled to lead off the inning, and would move to third on a balk. After two outs, Luke would cross the plate on another balk.
Moravian scored twice in the bottom of the fourth inning to take the lead for good. Junior catcher Mike Roethke drew a one-out walk, and Luke and senior second baseman Alex Longernecker also drew walks to load the bases. Sophomore center fielder Anthony Gaetaniello followed with the fourth straight walk of the inning to score Roethke while Case hit an RBI single into the hole at shortstop as Luke scored.
Savite hit the first pitch of the fifth inning over the scoreboard in right field for his career collegiate home run to push the Hounds lead to 4-1.
"Charles did a nice job of keeping his shoulder in and driving the ball," Engelhardt said. "He has some power but when he tries to get into one, he usually opens up his shoulder but he kept it in today."
Scranton pulled within 4-2 in the top of the eighth inning and had runners at second and third base when Kahn was able to get out of the inning.
Moravian tacked on two more runs in the bottom half of the eighth to seal the win. Junior left fielder Cameron Leon reached on a error to start the inning while Luke placed a bunt for a hit between the pitcher and first baseman to put two runners on. Longernecker followed with a sacrifice bunt, and after an out, Case dropped a bunt down the third base line that stayed fair all the way down the line on the wet dirt to allow Leon to score. Hanson was up next and ripped a ball down the first base line off of the glove of the diving first baseman for an RBI single, scoring Luke with the final run of the game.
The Hounds are scheduled to play the second of a six-game home stand at Gillespie Field on Thursday,
