PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. --- The Moravian College baseball team finished off its trip to the Snowbird Classic in Port Charlotte, Florida with a 9-1 victory over Heidelberg (Ohio) University on the strength of a complete game by junior Rhett Jacoby Friday.
Jacoby, now 2-1 on the season, allowed an unearned run on six hits, and he also had a career-high 12 strikeouts in the contest, tied for the fifth most by a Moravian pitcher in a game in school history, while not walking anyone. He moved into a tie for ninth in school history with his 14th career win, and Jacoby is now sixth in school history with 131 career strikeouts.
The Greyhounds had 16 hits in the game with senior first baseman Joey Maker going 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI. Junior center fielder Austin Markowski was 2-for-3 with four RBIs and a doubles while junior shortstop Matt Stalter, sophomore right fielder Carmine Palummo, senior designated hitter David Wodzisz and junior left fielder Mike Mittl were all 2-for-4. Junior second baseman Tim Heard went 2-for-5.
Heidelberg jumped out to a 1-0 lead with an unearned run in the first inning. The Hounds responded with three runs in the top of the second for a 3-1 advantage. Maker hit an infield single to start the inning, and Stalter had an another infield single with two outs. Palummo was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Markowski ripped a two-RBI single to right field to score Maker and Stalter. Junior third baseman Evan Kulig followed with an RBI single through the left side of the infield to chase Palummo across the plate.
Moravian added a run in the top of the eighth inning to extend the lead to 4-1. Heard connected on a one-out single, and he would race home from first base on an RBI double by Maker.
The Blue and Grey scored five times in the top of the ninth to push the advantage to 9-1. Stalter drew a walk to lead off the frame and Palummo followed with a single. After a wild pitch put both runners in scoring position, Markowski ripped his second two-RBI hit of the game, this one a double to left field as Stalter and Palummo scored. Wodzisz followed with an RBI triple down the right field line to plate Markowski, and Wodzisz crossed the plate on an RBI single to right field by Heard. Maker and Mittl both singled to load the bases before junior catcher Chase Rogers had an RBI sacrifice fly to score Heard.
The Greyhounds are scheduled to return to Pennsylvania and play their 2018 home opener on Thursday, March 15 versus New Jersey City University with first pitch slated for 4:00 p.m. at Gillespie Field.
