BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College baseball team scored four times in the seventh inning to take a lead but visiting Montclair State University answered with four runs in the top of the eighth to earn an 8-6 win over the Greyhounds in non-conference action at Gillespie Field Thursday afternoon.
The Blue and Grey, who are now 9-7 on the season, had 12 hits in the game with freshman outfielder Austin Markowski going 3-for-4. Freshman shortstop Evan Kulig was 2-for-4 and scored a pair of runs while junior outfielder Anthony Gaetaniello was 2-for-5. Freshman outfielder Mike Mittl drove in three runs for the Greyhounds.
Senior Ian Carbone started on the mound and allowed two runs, just one earned on six hits and a walk to go with five strikeouts. Sophomore Ryan Kahn tossed 1.2 innings with six unearned runs on six hits and one strikeout while senior Hunter Guard gave up one hit and one strikeout in 1.1 innings of action.
The Blue and Grey jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when senior third baseman Alex Bull reached on an error with two outs and scored on an RBI single from senior first baseman Charles Savite.
The Red Hawks scored once in the top of the second to tie the game and again in the top of the fifth to build a 2-1 lead. Moravian answered in the bottom of the fifth to knot the score at 2-2. Kulig doubles with one out, and after a single by Gaetaniello, Mittl hit an RBI fielder's choice to chase Kulig across the plate.
Montclair State broke the tie with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh. The Hounds once again had an answer; this time scoring four runs in the bottom of the seventh to take a 6-4 lead. Junior third baseman Nicolas Ampietro led off with a double down the left field line, and he moved to third on a single from Kulig. Gaetaniello then put down a bunt and a throwing error allowed Ampietro to score. Mittl followed with a two-RBI double to left field, and he eventually scored on a squeeze bunt single by senior designated hitter Cameron Leon.
The Red Hawks scored four times in the top of eighth inning for an 8-6 lead after an error by the Greyhounds but this time the Hounds were unable to answer.
Moravian is scheduled to return to action on Saturday, March 28 when the Greyhounds open a Landmark Conference series at The University of Scranton with first pitch of the doubleheader slated for 12:30 p.m.
