BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College baseball team rallied from a two-run deficit including a three-run eighth inning to post a 5-2 victory over visiting Elizabethtown College at Gillespie Field Monday afternoon.
"The guys are showing a lot of heart, and they don't want to give up," stated Head Coach Paul Engelhardt. "We're still in a good spot for the conference and the guys are going to keep playing for it."
Moravian, now 13-17 overall and 8-6 in Landmark Conference action, finished the game with seven hits with senior center fielder Anthony Gaetaniello going 2-for-3 with three runs scored, a double and a stolen base. Sophomore right fielder Austin Markowski was 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a pair of doubles while sophomore third baseman Evan Kulig went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Junior John Wiedmayer made the start on the mound for the Greyhounds with two runs, one earned, on three hits and four walks to go with five strikeouts. Junior Nicholas Mazzella tossed five innings of relief to earn his second win of the season as he allowed a pair of hits to go with five strikeouts.
"Nick was fantastic out of the bullpen," Engelhardt said. "He has shown that in his career and in his career. He just hasn't been able to string it together every inning. He always seemed to have one bad inning usually in the beginning and then he settled in. It was great to see him come in and do exactly what we know he is capable of."
Elizabethtown took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning and would add another run in the top of the fourth to extend the advantage to 2-0.
Moravian would get on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the fourth to cut the deficit in half. Gaetaniello drew a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore shortstop Matt Stalter. Kulig would connect on a two-out RBI single through the left side as Gaetaniello raced home from second base.
The Blue and Grey tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth frame when Gaetaniello doubled with one out and scored on an RBI double by Markowski.
The Greyhounds then plated three runs in the bottom of the eighth for the win. Gaetaniello singled through the left side with two outs and stole second base. Stalter hit an infield single to the shortstop to put runners on the corners. Markowski followed with a two-RBI double down the left field line as Gaetaniello and Stalter both scored. Kulig gave Mazzella an insurance run with an RBI single to bring Markowski home.
Moravian is scheduled to return to action on Wednesday, April 19 when the squad hosts No. 11 Alvernia University in a non-conference game beginning at 4:00 p.m. at Gillespie Field.
