CAMDEN, N.J. --- The Neumann University baseball team posted a 7-3 victory over Moravian College in non-conference action at Campbell's Field Wednesday evening.
The Knights jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on a two-RBI double from first baseman Tyler Drinkard and an RBI single from third baseman Kevin Flanigan.
Neumann would score four more times in the bottom of the second for a 7-0 advantage. Drinkard started the scoring with an RBI single, and he would score on a two-run homer by outfielder Derek Etsell, his seventh home run of the season. Designated hitter Anthony LaCava followed with a solo homer, his first of the season, to finish off the scoring for the Knights in the game.
Moravian would get on the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning to cut the deficit to 7-2. Senior outfielder Austin Rock walked with an out and moved to third on a double from freshman outfielder Matt Hanson. After an out, senior catcher Blake Shortall connected on a two-RBI single to score Rock and Hanson.
The Greyhounds scored the final run of the game in the top of the fifth inning. Senior shortstop Dave Zubia led off with a single, and he scored on an RBI sacrifice fly by senior third baseman Gregg Steinman. The run was Zubia's 50th of the season, the third player in school history to score 50 runs in a season.
Neumann had a 10-7 advantage in hits with Drinkard going two-for-five with three RBIs while Flanigan and outfielder Will Flores each went two-for-four. Zubia led Moravian at the plate with a four-for-four performance while Shortall had a two-for-four performance.
Junior Frank Trautz started on the mound for the Greyhounds, who used seven pitchers in the game. Trautz ended up with the loss after allowing seven runs, six of them earned, one eight hits and a strikeout. Among the six other pitchers for the Greyhounds, senior Brendan Close saw his first relief appearance since March 7, 2010 after 27 straight starts, and struck out all four batters he faced in the fifth inning with one reaching on a passed ball.
J.J. Sims earned the victory for Neumann with three runs, two earned, on five hits and two walks to go with three strikeouts in five innings of action.
Moravian will close out its 2012 regular season in a three-game Landmark Conference series with Drew University at Gillespie Field on Saturday and Sunday, April 28 and 29. The first pitch of the series is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Saturday. The Greyhounds have already clinched a berth in the 2012 Landmark Conference Tournament, and Moravian can wrap-up the top seed in the tournament for the third straight year by winning two of the three games in the series.
