BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian University baseball team rallied in the bottom of the ninth inning and had the tying run at the plate in a 13-9 non-conference loss to Keystone College Thursday as the Greyhounds played their first game of the season at Gillespie Field.

How It Happened

• The Giants scored twice in the top of the first inning, and Keystone added a run in the top of the second for a 3-0 advantage
• The Hounds got onto the scoreboard with a run in the home half of the second frame. Senior designated hitter Derek Holmes led off with a single and would race home on an RBI groundout by sophomore outfielder Nick Henry
• The Giants pushed in three runs in the top of the third inning with a pair of home runs to make their lead 6-1
• The Blue & Grey answered right back with two runs in the bottom of the third. Senior center fielder Matt Madigan put down a bunt single, and senior third baseman Mason Fisher followed with a double. After the second out of the inning, Holmes hit an RBI infield single that brought in Madigan while Fisher raced home on an RBI single by junior first baseman Cole Cherkas to make it 6-3
• Moravian got within a run in the bottom of the fifth inning when the Hounds made it a 6-5 game. Madigan reached on an error and scored on an RBI single from senior second baseman Chris Pow while Pow eventually crossed the plate on an RBI fielder's choice off Henry's bat
• Keystone pushed two runs across the plate in the top of the sixth to increase the edge to 8-5
• The Greyhounds countered with a run in the bottom of the sixth inning when Madigan drew a two-out walk and scored on a wild pitch
• The Giants plated four runs in the top of the seventh and one more in the top of the ninth to extend their advantage to 13-6
• Moravian looked to rally in the bottom of the ninth as the Blue & Grey scored three runs and had the tying run at the plate when the game came to an end. Pow led off with a walk, and freshman Dimitri Laoutaris came in to pinch run. Laoutaris raced home from second base on an RBI single by Cherkas before sophomore Ayden Dunbar came in to pinch run as well. Junior right fielder Patrick Benolken drew a walk, and a wild pitch moved Dunbar into scoring position for freshman shortstop Owen Hutchinson, who hit an RBI groundout that brought Dunbar across the plate. Sophomore pinch hitter Jaden Clements reached on an error that allowed Benolken to score the final run. Madigan was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Fisher flied out to end the contest

Inside the Numbers

• Moravian had 12 hits in the game with Holmes and Cherkas both going 3-for-5 with Cherkas adding two RBIs and Holmes contributing a run and an RBI
• Madigan was 2-for-4 with three runs scored and a pair of stolen bases while junior shortstop Paul Croyle was also 2-for-4
• Fisher and Pow both had one hit and scored once while Pow added an RBI and Fisher contributed a double. Henry recorded two RBIs while Hutchinson and Clements both had one RBI and Benolken scored once
• Senior Garrison Koch made the start on the mound for the Greyhounds and had three strikeouts in three innings of work. Junior Aaron Flyte picked up one strikeout in two innings of action while senior Kenny Kunzman had one strikeout in 1.2 innings on the hill. Freshman Max Sponheimer struck out on in 1.1 innings of work while senior Matt Ciarrocchi posted three strikeouts in an inning of action

Up Next for the Greyhounds

• Saturday, April 1 vs. Elizabethtown College (DH), 12:00 p.m.
• Sunday, April 2 vs. Elizabethtown College, 12:00 p.m.