PUNTA GORDA, FL – The Moravian College baseball team swept the doubleheader against John Carroll University Monday afternoon at the Snowbird Classic. The Greyhounds won the first game 1-0, and followed that up with a 5-1 victory in the second game.
In the first game, the Greyhounds would put one on the board in the top of the first. Sophomore outfielder Joseph Connell would reach first after a dropped third strike to start the inning. He then stole second base. Classmate second baseman Daniel Seitzinger followed up with a single to put men on the corners. Senior shortstop Dave Zubia then hit a single up the middle to score Connell.
In the bottom of the first sophomore pitcher Thomas Mariano would get all three outs without any trouble.
Mariano would give up his first hit of the game in the bottom of the second on a lead-off double by John Carroll junior catcher Aaron Miller. Freshman outfielder David Lykens then reached on an error to put men on the corners with no outs. However, Mariano would work his way out of the inning unscathed.
The two teams would keep battling in a pitcher's duel as senior closer Kyle Longernecker would pitch the sixth and seventh inning for the two-inning save. In the sixth he struck out two batters looking. In the seventh, he would get a 1-2-3 inning with the final out coming by way of a strike out to end the contest as Moravian would win game one, 1-0, of the double-header.
Mariano went five innings while striking out three and only giving up two hits to earn his second victory of the season. Longernecker went two innings for his first save of the season while striking out three.
Zubia went 1-for-2 with one RBI while Seitzinger and freshman outfielder Matt Hanson both went 1-for-3 on the day.
The Blue Streaks were led by sophomore pitcher Anthony Libertini who went six innings while only allowing one run, and striking out five. Classmate infielder Mitchell Herringshaw went 1-for-2 while Miller went 1-of-3.
In the second game, freshman pitcher Chris Lansberry started the contest with a strike out. He then gave up a triple with two outs, but then got senior first baseman Tom Hickey of the Blue Streaks to line out to end the inning.
Connell would start the bottom the first with a lead-off double to left field. Zubia then brought him home with a single through the right side. Senior first baseman Kevin O'Keefe followed that up with a double to left center. Hanson then hit an RBI single to score Zubia, but O'Keefe would be out at the plate while trying to extend the lead. Moravian left the first with a 2-0 lead.
The Greyhounds would add two more runs in the bottom of the third. Zubia started it with a lead-off single, followed by O'Keefe with a double down the right field line. Junior designated hitter Frank Trautz scored Zubia with a RBI ground out to second. Sophomore catcher Matthew Gutkes hit a sacrifice fly to score O'Keefe to give Moravian a 4-0 lead after three innings.
John Carroll would load the bases in the top of the fourth, but Lansberry pitched his way out of trouble by forcing a fly ball out to center field to end the inning with a 4-0 lead still intact.
Freshman outfielder Justin Pilchman hit a deep double to center field with one out in the bottom of the fourth. Connell would bring him home with a RBI single right up the middle for a 5-0 lead after four innings.
Junior pitcher Matthew Cordes would start the fifth for Moravian. Sophomore outfielder Jeremy Phelps would walk to start the fifth for the Blue Streaks. Freshman Mark Huddle then hit a single through the left side to put two men on base. Classmate Mitchell Herringshaw followed that up with a RBI double to get John Carroll on the board a 5-1 after five innings.
The Blue Streaks would threaten to score again in the sixth and seventh, but to no avail as Moravian would walk away with a 5-1 victory, and a double-header sweep.
Lansberry picked up the win for the Greyhounds by going four innings, striking out two and not allowing a run to score. Zubia went 2-for-3 in the contest with two runs scored and a RBI while O'Keefe went 2-for-2 with one run scored. Connell had one RBI and one run scored while going 3-for-3 at the plate.
Freshman pitcher Tyler Ferretti picked up the loss for John Carroll after going three innings while giving up four runs. Herringshaw went 2-for-3 with one RBI while junior outfielder Ryan Konsler went 2-for-4.
Moravian returns to action on Wednesday, March 7th as they take on Baldwin-Wallace College at the Snowbird Classic. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
