SCRANTON, Pa. – The Moravian College baseball team swept the University of Scranton in a Landmark Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon. The Greyhounds won the first game 8-7 while taking the second contest 11-2.
In game one, Moravian and Scranton would battle each other all the way to end of the game as the Greyhounds would come out on top 8-7. Senior pitcher Brendan Close went seven innings while giving up two earned runs and striking out seven for his sixth victory.
The Greyhounds would strike first in the top of the first after senior first baseman Kevin O'Keefe would single home classmate shortstop Dave Zubia for a 1-0 lead.
Close held the Royals off the scoreboard until the bottom of the second when Scranton retook the lead, 2-1, off of three hits and a Moravian error.
The Hounds knotted the game back up in the top of the fifth after Zubia doubled home sophomore outfielder Joseph Connell.
After a single from senior designated hitter Austin Rock and freshman outfielder Matt Hanson walked, sophomore Matthew Gutkes broke the tie with one swing of the bat after he hit his second homer run of the year. That shot would put Moravian up 5-2 after the sixth.
The Greyhounds added three more runs in the seventh off a RBI double from sophomore second baseman Daniel Seitzinger, and a two RBI double by Hanson.
The Royals would make a run in the bottom of the seventh after senior Matt Rayha drove in junior Michael Amaturo after an error by the first baseman to make the score 8-3. A single from freshman Michael Umerich would load the bases with one out. After a fly out, junior Michael Gaeta would hit a grand slam to make the score 8-7 with all four of those runs being unearned. Close then closed the game by forcing a grounder for the final out.
Zubia went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a triple and two runs scored while Gutkes went 1-for-1 with a three-run home run. Hanson went 2-for-2 with two RBIs while Rock went 2-for-4 with a run scored. O'Keefe and Seitzinger both went 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run.
Junior Robert Della Polla took the loss after going six innings and allowing six runs. Gaeta went 1-for-4 with a grand slam while eight of Scranton's batters had one hit a piece.
In game two, Moravian would come out of the gates racing, scoring four runs in the top of the first for a quick 4-0 lead. It started with a RBI single by Rock that scored Zubia. Hanson then reached on an error to load the bases, and Gutkes followed with a walk to score one run. Senior catcher Blake Shortall then hit a single to score Rock and Hanson.
Zubia would hit a single in the third to score Shortall for a 5-0 Greyhound lead. In the bottom half of the inning the Royals would strike for two runs after a double by Gaeta to score Rayha and junior Tim Lecompte.
That would be all for Scranton as Moravian closed the door by adding six more runs in the final four innings to win 11-2.
Freshman Chris Lansberry earned his sixth win of the season after going 5.2 innings while striking out seven and giving up two earned runs off of three hits. Zubia went 4-for-5 with a home run, a double, three runs and two RBIs while O'Keefe went 3-for-5 with two runs. Rock went 3-for-4 with a RBI and a run while Shortall went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.
Senior pitcher Corey Gorman took the loss after giving up six runs in 3.2 innings of work. Gaeta went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a double.
Moravian returns to action tomorrow, April 15th as they wrap up the three-game series with Scranton. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.
