BETHLEHEM, Pa – The Moravian College baseball team defeated Penn State-Berks, 12-5, in a non-conference game. Senior pitcher Kevin O'Keefe picked up his 200th career hit after going 1-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs.
O'Keefe would start the game on the mound for Moravian. He would walk one man in the inning, but force a ground out, pop up and fly out to get out of the inning.
Freshman pitcher Brent Rhoads would get the nod for the Nittany Lions in the bottom half of the first. Sophomore second baseman Daniel Seitzinger would reach third base on an error by the center fielder. O'Keefe then grounded out to score Seitzinger for a quick 1-0 lead after the first.
Senior outfielder Austin Rock would hit an inside-the-park home run down the right field line in the bottom of the second to put the Greyhounds up 2-0.
Seitzinger would reach base on an error by the shortstop on the bottom of the third. He then stole second. Senior first baseman Gregg Steinman then drove him in with a single to right field for 3-0 lead.
Freshman outfielder Connor Corson would draw a walk in the top of the fourth as classmate first baseman Kyle Hartman followed with a double to right field. Junior third baseman Rich Schlamowitz then hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Corson. Classmate second baseman Kevin Heilman followed with a single through the left side to score Hartman. Penn State-Berks then tied the contest at three after freshman catcher Dillon Landrigan grounded into a fielder's choice to score Heilman. The Nittany Lions would go onto add two more runs for a 5-3 lead.
Moravian would add one run off of one hit and an error in the bottom of the fourth to make the score, 5-4, PSU-Berks.
Seitzinger would start the bottom of the fifth with a lead-off double to left field. He would advance to third on a wild pitch. O'Keefe then reached on a fielder's choice and Steinman would drive him home with a RBI single. Rock would get the second run of the inning home after grounding into a double play. Moravian would leave the fifth with a 6-5 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth the Greyhounds would put five runs on the board off of five hits. O'Keefe would also pick up his 200th career hit in the inning. The Greyhounds would add one more run in the eighth to win 12-5.
Rock went 3-for-4 with an inside-the-park home run and three RBIs while Seitzinger scored three runs. Zubia went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, a triple and a double while freshman shortstop Colin Case went 2-for-2 with a run and a RBI. Sophomore pitcher Robert Solano picked up the win after pitching three scoreless relief innings.
Rhoads took the loss for the Nittany Lions after giving up six runs, three earned in five innings. Heilman went 2-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored while sophomore outfielder Aaron Wilkins went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases.
Moravian returns to action on Saturday, April 14th as they travel to the University of Scranton for a Landmark Conference battle. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 1 p.m.
