HUNTINGDON, Pa. – The Moravian College baseball team swept Landmark Conference foe Juniata College Sunday afternoon in a doubleheader. The Greyhounds won the first game, 13-3, while taking the second game, 12-3.
In the first game, Moravian would get off to a fast start right out of the gate as sophomore outfielder Joseph Connell would reach on an error to start an eight-run inning for the Greyhounds. Classmate second baseman Daniel Seitzinger then walked and senior short Dave Zubia would single through the right side for the first run. Classmate first baseman Kevin O'Keefe then hit a RBI single and senior designated hitter Austin Rock followed by reaching on a fielder's choice that would score Zubia. Classmate third baseman Gregg Steinman would push his hitting streak to eight games with a home run down the left field. Freshman outfielder Matt Hanson would continue to keep the pressure on with a single to center field. He then reached third on a wild pitch as senior catcher Blake Shortall would get him home with after he grounded out. Sophomore outfielder Harrison Fonteix then reached after getting hit by a pitch. Connell would then single. Fonteix then stole third while scoring on a throwing error by the catcher. Freshman pitcher Chris Fulton would get the final out of the inning after forcing O'Keefe to fly out.
Senior pitcher Brendan Close would give up a lead-off single in the bottom of the first to junior outfielder Ben Mersky. Close then picked him off at first, and then forced a ground out and a fly out to keep the 8-0 lead after one.
Close then pitched a 1-2-3 inning off a ground out, strikeout and fly out in the bottom of the second.
Moravian would add three more runs in the third inning after Fonteix would get on with a lead-off single. Connell followed with a single up the middle. Both then did a double-steal to move up a base. Seitzinger then drove home Fonteix on a ground out. Zubia then singled through the left side to score Connell. O'Keefe followed with a single through the right side. The Eagles then switched pitchers to sophomore Mario DeYulius. Rock then reached on an error, and Steinman would get hit by a pitch to force in Zubia for an 11-0 lead after the top of the third.
Close would get a strikeout and a double-play in the bottom of the third for a quick inning.
They Greyhounds would add two more runs in the contest as Juniata tacked on three runs for a 13-3 victory in game one for Moravian.
Close would pick up his fourth win of the season after going seven innings while striking out four, and allowing two earned runs. Connell led Moravian by going 3-for-4 with four runs scored while Zubia went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Seitzinger had two RBIs and two runs while O'Keefe went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Steinman went 1-for-3 with three RBIs while Hanson went 2-for-4.
Fulton picked up the loss for the Eagles after going 2.1 innings while giving up six earned runs. Senior first baseman Russell Gray went 2-for-3 with one RBI while Mersky went 2-for-4 with a run scored for Juniata. Junior catcher Cole Walters had one RBI while senior outfielder Matt Fritz went 1-for-3 with a RBI.
In the second game of the day, Zubia would hit a home run in the top of the first for a quick 1-0 lead. O'Keefe then reached on an error and Rock would bring him home with a RBI double to center field.
Sophomore pitcher Thomas Mariano gave up a lead-off single to Mersky in the bottom of the first. Mersky would get caught stealing, and Mariano would force a ground out and pop up to get out of the inning.
Shortall would single up the middle in the top of the second. Fonteix then double to left center to score Shortall. Fonteix would advance to third on a fly ball and Seitzinger would drive him home with a bunt single for a 4-0 lead.
Mariano then struck out the side in the bottom of the second.
Moravian would take advantage of a Juniata error in the top of the third to put one more run on the board for a 5-0 lead.
Seitzinger would lead-off the fourth with a double. After advancing to third on a fly ball, he would reach home on a ground out for a 6-0 lead.
Mariano would give up one hit in the bottom half of the fourth, but leave the inning unscathed.
Senior pitcher William Hoffman would get his first scoreless inning in the top of the fifth for the Eagles.
Freshman infielder Cody Krepps and sophomore infielder started the bottom of the fifth with back-to-back singles. A double down the left field line by Mersky would score both runners to make the score 6-2 after five innings.
Connell would reach on an error in the top of the sixth and Seitzinger followed with a single to center field. They both executed a double-steal to put men on third and second. Zubia followed with a sacrifice fly to left field to score Connell for a 7-2 lead.
Gray started the bottom of the sixth with a single to right center. He would make his way to third base, and score after a single by Krepps to make the score 7-3 after six innings.
The Greyhounds added five more runs in the in the top of the seventh, and go onto win 12-3 for a doubleheader sweep of the Eagles.
Mariano picked up his fourth victory of the season after going six innings, striking out four and giving up three runs. Seitzinger went 4-for-5 with two RBIs, two runs and two doubles while Zubia had four RBIs and two hits. Shortall went 2-for-4 with one RBI while Fonteix went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Steinman extended his hitting streak to nine games after going 1-for-4 while Rock scored two runs and had a RBI.
Hoffman took the loss for Juniata after giving up seven runs in six innings. Mersky led the Eagles with two RBIs while going 3-for-4 at the plate. Krepps went 2-for-3 with one RBI while sophomore third baseman Jace Rhoads went 2-for-3 with a run scored.
Moravian returns to action tomorrow, March 26th as they wrap up this three-game series versus Juniata. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
