AUBURNDALE, Fla. --- The Moravian University baseball squad had an early 4-0 lead before falling to Illinois College, 14-5, in the RussMatt Invitational at Lake Myrtle Park Monday. 

How It Happened

• The Hounds took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Graduate student first baseman Paul Hamilton drew a two-out walk and raced home from second base on an RBI double to left field by senior shortstop Paul Croyle
• The Blue & Grey doubled the advantage to 2-0 with another run on the bottom of the second frame. Senior catcher Connor Wengryn earned a leadoff walk, and he scored on an RBI sacrifice fly off the bat of graduate student second baseman Chris Pow
• Moravian added two runs in the bottom of the third to extend the advantage to 4-0. Senior designated hitter Cole Cherkas led off the inning with a solo home run to right field. Junior right fielder Nick Henry walked later in the inning and scampered home on a passed ball
• The Blueboys plated four runs in the top fourth inning to knot the score at 4-4, and IC scored twice in the top of the sixth to take a 6-4 edge
• The Greyhounds pulled within a run at 6-5 in the bottom half of the sixth. Senior left fielder David Olsakowski drew a leadoff walk and scored on a wild pitch
• The Blueboys added eight runs in the top of the eighth to stretch the advantage to 14-5 

Inside the Numbers

• Moravian had eight hits in the contest with Cherkas going 2-for-3 with a run, an RBI and a home run, his fourth career homer
• Croyle was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a double while Pow had a hit and an RBI
• Wengryn collected a hit and scored a run while senior center fielder Matt Madigan and graduate student third baseman Jack Tone both had a hit
• Henry and Olsakowski each crossed the plate once
• The Greyhounds drew ten walks
• Senior David Ciaccio made the start on the mound for the Blue & Grey, and he allowed six runs, just three earned, on nine hits and a walk to go with one strikeout. Sophomore Ross Huffman tossed two innings with four runs, two earned on three hits to go with a pair of strikeouts while freshman Caden Ward allowed four runs on two hits and two walks. Freshman Ryan Hoffman pitched two innings with one hit allowed. 

Up Next for the Greyhounds

• Tuesday, March 5 vs. Penn State-Abington at RussMatt Central Florida Invitational in Auburndale, Fla., 6:30 p.m.
• Saturday, March 9 at Salisbury (Md.) University (DH), 11:00 a.m.