BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College baseball team earned its second-straight, extra-inning walk-off victory over visiting Susquehanna University with a 7-6, 13-inning win Sunday afternoon at Gillespie Field to win the Landmark Conference weekend series 2-1.
The Greyhounds, who improve to 12-9 overall and 7-2 in Landmark Conference action halfway through the conference slate, tied the school mark for the longest game in school history. The other two 13-inning games took place during spring break trips to Florida with Moravian falling to Washington (Md.) College, 3-2, on March 7, 2010 and defeating Heidelberg (Ohio) University, 16-14, on March 2, 2014.
Sunday, the Blue and Grey rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings and from a run down in the bottom of the 11th to keep the game going.
Moravian, which finished off a 10-game home stand Sunday that saw the squad go 7-3, had nine hits in the win with junior second baseman Ian Csencsits going 3-for-6 with three runs, a double and an RBI. Senior pitcher/designated hitter Evan Kulig and senior center fielder Austin Markowski were both 2-for-5 with Kulig adding an RBI and Markowski connecting on a double and driving in three runs, all in the final five innings.
Kulig made the start on the mound and allowed two runs on six hits and three walks to go with eight strikeouts in 7.1 innings of action. Freshman Eddie Olsen tossed 0.2 innings while junior Connor Morro had one inning of work. Senior Tyler Caraway worked all four-extra innings on the mound, allowing a run on five hits and two walks to go with three strikeouts as he improved to 3-0 on the season.
The River Hawks opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first inning.
The Blue and Grey responded in the bottom of the second when Markowski led off with a walk and tied the game on an RBI sacrifice fly by senior catcher Andrew Koenig.
Moravian moved ahead, 2-1, with a run in the bottom of the third frame when senior third baseman Tim Heard drew a leadoff walk and raced home on an RBI sacrifice fly by Kulig.
The Greyhounds pushed their edge to 3-1 with a run in the bottom of the seventh as junior right fielder Carmine Palummo walked to begin the inning before scoring on an RBI single by Csencsits.
The River Hawks pulled within a run in the top of the eighth, and Susquehanna then scored three times in the top of the ninth to take a 5-3 lead.
Heard drew another leadoff walk to start the bottom of the ninth before Csencsits singled. After a fielder's choice had Heard out at third and another out, Markowski came inches from ending the game with a walk-off homer when his hit to left field hit the top of the fence for a two-RBI double that brought in Csencsits and Kulig to knot the score at 5-5.
Susquehanna moved back in front in the top of the 11th for a 6-5 edge.
The Hounds responded again. Csencsits drew a one-out walk and Kulig followed with a single. After an out, Markowski ripped an RBI single to center field to bring in Csencsits across the plate and make it a 6-6 contest.
Finally, in the bottom of the 13th inning the Blue and Grey earned the victory. Csencsits connected on a leadoff double off of the fence in center field. The River Hawks intentionally walked Kulig before and out and a wild pitch had the runners at second and third. Susquehanna also intentionally walked Markowski to load the bases with one out. Freshman first baseman AJ Brosious lifted an 0-1 pitch deep enough to left field for an RBI sacrifice fly for the winning run as Csencsits raced home.
Moravian is slated to eight-game road trip on Tuesday, April 2 with a non-conference game at Albright College beginning at 4:00 p.m.
