GLASSBORO, N.J. --- Junior catcher Mike Roethke connected on his first home run of the season and the first since his freshman year but it wasn't enough as the Moravian College baseball team fell to Rowan University, 14-9, in non-conference action Wednesday in a game shortened to seven innings by darkness.
The Greyhounds had eight hits in the contest with senior designated hitter Justin Pilchman going 2-for-4. Juniors first baseman Charles Savite and left fielder Cameron Leon each added two RBIs while Roethke led the Blue & Grey with three RBIs.
The Hounds jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when senior right fielder Matt Hanson singled with two outs and stole second base, increasing his school record to 52 stolen bases. Savite followed with an RBI single through the right side.
The Profs answered with four runs in the bottom of the first frame, and Rowan added a run on the second inning and four more in the third to build a 9-1 lead.
Moravian scored three runs in the top half of the fifth off of Roethke's bat. Junior second baseman Alex Bull led off the inning with a single and Leon reached on an error. Roethke, who had entered the game in the bottom of the fourth as a defensive replacement, hit a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence for a three-run homer and his seventh extra base hit, tying him for the team lead. The hit was also the 75th of Roethke's career.
Rowan would get all three runs back in the bottom of the fifth, and the Profs added two more runs in the sixth for a 14-4 advantage.
The Greyhounds pushed five runs across the plate in the top of the seventh before it got too dark to finish the game on a day that had a light rain falling during the early part of the contest. Freshman shortstop David Wodzsiz walked to start the inning and was safe at second on an error on a ground ball hit by sophomore centerfielder Anthony Gaetaniello. Pilchman singled to load the bases before Hanson hit into an RBI fielder's choice that scored Wodzsiz and left the bases loaded with the second error of the inning. Savite followed with a bases loaded RBI walk as Gaetaniello scored. After an out at the plate, senior second baseman Alex Longernecker had an RBI fielder's choice as Hanson crossed the plate for the second time in the game and the 127th time in his career as he moved into third in school history in runs scored. Leon drove in Longernecker and Savite with a two RBI single for the final runs of the afternoon.
Junior Anthony Zaloga started on the mound for Moravian, and he recorded five strikeouts in 2.2 innings of action. Junior Brett Wagner struck out four batters in 1.2 innings of work while senior Chris Lansberry tossed the final 1.2 innings for the Hounds.
Moravian is slated to return to action on Saturday, April 11 when the squad opens a Landmark Conference series at Susquehanna University with a doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m.
