BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College baseball team earned a pair of one-run victories over visiting Vassar (N.Y.) College by scores of 3-2 and 9-8 Saturday afternoon as the Greyhounds played their final home games of the 2018 season.
The Hounds, now 18-14 this spring, were limited to six hits in the first game but senior pitcher Dan Morrin had his third straight strong outing as he improved to 3-2 on the season after giving up two runs on four hits to go with seven strikeouts.
Moravian took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when sophomore right fielder Carmine Palummo led off the frame with an infield single and scored when junior center fielder Austin Markowski connected on a two-run homer, his team-leading sixth home run of the season.
The Brewers answered with a run in the top of the second inning. The Hounds would get the run back in the bottom half of the frame when senior designated hitter Joey Maker reached on an error and scored on an RBI single by junior shortstop Matt Stalter.
Vassar would score again in the top of the third inning before Morrin shut the door.
The second game saw Moravian collect 10 hits with junior third baseman/pitcher Evan Kulig, senior first baseman Logan Welles and freshman shortstop Michael Miceli each going 2-for-5 with Welles and Miceli each driving in two runs.
The Blue and Grey used four pitchers in the game with senior Nicholas Mazzella making the start and allowing two runs on five hits to go along with three strikeouts in five innings of action. Kulig tossed two innings with five runs on four hits to go with a strikeout while freshman Kyle Serman pitched one inning with an unearned run on two hits and a strikeout. Sophomore Connor Morro earned the win with an inning of relief that included a strikeout and a hit.
Once again, the Greyhounds jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Palummo led off with a walk and scored on an RBI ground out by Kulig. Markowski eventually reached on an error as sophomore second baseman Ian Csencsits raced home after walking earlier in the inning.
The Brewers knotted the score with a pair of runs in the top of the second frame.
Moravian moved back in front in the bottom of the fourth inning when senior designated hitter Ezra Rawdon (Lemoyne, Pa./Cedar Cliff HS) drew a leadoff walk and scored on an error on a ball hit by Miceli.
The Hounds would plate five runs in the bottom of the fifth to push the edge to 8-2. Kulig singled with one out and scored on an RBI single by junior left fielder Mike Mittl. Welles followed with a two-RBI triple to right field as Mittl and Markowski, who had walked, both raced home. After a walk and a hit batter, Miceli connected on a two-RBI single to chase Welles and sophomore pinch runner Kole Rodrigues across the plate.
Vassar scored once in the top of the seventh inning and five times in the eighth to knot the score at 8-8.
In the top of the ninth for Moravian, junior catcher Steve Lazicki led off with a single. Senior La'Ron Smith came on to pinch run and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. After Smith reached third on an error, he would race home with the winning run on a wild pitch to give the Greyhounds their fifth win in their last seven games.
The Hounds are scheduled to return to action on Tuesday, April 24 in a non-conference contest at Rutgers-Camden beginning at 4:00 p.m.
