BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College baseball team posted its first shutout of the season behind a strong start from freshman pitcher Eddie Olsen and junior second baseman Ian Csencsits was 3-for-3 at the plate to lead the Greyhounds to a 12-0 victory over visiting Penn State Berks in non-conference action at Gillespie Field Wednesday afternoon.
The Hounds, now 10-7 overall after the squad's fifth consecutive win, had 12 hits in the contest with Csencsits scoring three times and adding two RBIs to go with his three hits. Senior first baseman Evan Kulig was 3-for-4 with two RBIs, two runs, a double and a triple while senior left fielder Mike Mittl went 2-for-4 with three RBIs.
Olsen earned his first career victory and had a no-hitter through the first six innings before finishing with three hits and a walk allowed to go with six strikeouts in seven innings of work. Senior Tyler Caraway recorded two strikeouts in an inning of action while senior Billy Roethke worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning to finish the contest.
Moravian gave Olsen all of the offense he needed with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Senior third baseman Tim Heard was hit by a pitch with one out and scored on an RBI single by Csencsits. After a single by Kulig, Mittl ripped a two-RBI single to center field that brought in Csencsits and Kulig.
The Blue and Grey tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the fifth to push the advantage to 7-0. Sophomore shortstop Michael Miceli was hit by a pitch and Palummo walked to start the inning. Heard reached on an infield since as Miceli scored, and Palummo trotted home on a balk. Csencsits connected on an RBI single to bring Heard across the plate before Kulig ripped an RBI double.
The Greyhounds scored four more times in the bottom of the seventh after Olsen worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the top of the frame. Csencsits drew a walk to begin the inning, and he raced home on an RBI triple from Kulig, who would score on an RBI single by Mittl. Freshman pinch hitter Royce Frazier drew an RBI walk with the bases loaded while freshman pinch hitter Robert Roman hit an RBI fielder's choice.
The Hounds finished off the scoring with a run in the bottom of the fifth inning when sophomore outfielder Thomas Philipps reached on a fielder's choice and raced home on an RBI single by freshman pinch hitter Elias Engelhardt.
Moravian is slated to continue its 10-game home stand on Thursday, March 28 when the squad welcomes Rutgers-Camden to Gillespie Field for a non-conference game beginning at 4:00 p.m.
