BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The fourth seeded Drew University baseball team scored three times in the top of the tenth and once more in the top of the 11th to post a 5-4, 11-inning victory over top seed and host Moravian College in the opening game of the 2012 Landmark Conference Tournament at Gillespie Field Saturday.
The Rangers advance to the winner's bracket game on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. and will take on the winner of the second game Saturday between second seed The United States Merchant Marine Academy and third seed The Catholic University of America. The Greyhounds will play at 9:00 a.m. Sunday in the first elimination game against the loser of the Saturday's other contest.
The Rangers, who are making their first appearance in the Landmark Tournament in the five-year history of the conference, would get a pair of singles in the top of the first inning but were unable to score.
In the bottom of the first for the Greyhounds, Moravian would get the first three batters on base but was unable to push anyone across the plate. Senior shortstop Dave Zubia led off with a walk before a bunt single down the first base line by sophomore second baseman Daniel Seitzinger. Senior first baseman Kevin O'Keefe walked to load the bases before three straight outs.
Drew threatened in the top of the second inning with two more singles and a pair of sacrifice bunts but Moravian starting pitcher sophomore Thomas Mariano would get the third out of the inning without a run scoring. The Rangers also had runners on base in the third, fourth and fifth innings but didn't score.
Sophomore outfielder Joseph Connell led off the bottom of the fifth with a single for the Greyhounds, their second hit of the game, but he would be stranded at third base as the game remained scoreless.
Drew put two more runners on base in the top half of the sixth inning but once again, Mariano would strand them on base.
Moravian would get a runner in scoring position in the bottom half of the sixth when O'Keefe was hit by a pitch and stole second base; however, Drew starting pitcher sophomore Ken Myers would get out of the jam.
The Greyhounds would get the first two runners on base in the bottom of the seventh on a leadoff double by freshman outfielder Matt Hanson and an infield single from Connell. After a passed ball and an out, freshman outfielder Chris Lansberry hit an RBI fielder's choice with Hanson's slide into the plate knocking the ball loose and scoring the first run of the game.
In the top of the eighth for Drew, senior designated hitter Tom Murray doubled with one out. Moravian would bring in senior pitcher Kyle Longernecker to pitch. Longernecker would get the second out of the inning before freshman shortstop Steve Kowalski hit a sinking line drive to left field that Hanson was unable to catch on a diving attempt as Murray scored to tie the game at 1-1.
Drew catcher Matthew Kaplon singled with one out in the top of the ninth but Longernecker worked out of the inning.
Rangers' junior pitcher Pat Rock would get Moravian to go down in order in the bottom half of the ninth to force extra innings, the third extra-inning game for the Greyhounds this spring.
Senior first baseman Steve DeBonis led off the top of the tenth with a single for Drew, and he moved to second on a throwing error on a failed pickoff attempt. Junior pinch hitter Chris DelMaestro followed with a walk before a sacrifice bunt by senior third baseman Pete Tuchol. Kowalski would be intentionally walked to load the bases. Junior outfielder Neil Cashes drew a walk on a full count to send DeBonis across the plate and put the Rangers ahead 2-1. Freshman second baseman Michael Chiarella would draw another bases loaded walk to score sophomore Joey Sudia, who had come in to pinch run for DelMaestro, extending the lead to 3-1. Drew pushed the lead to 4-1 on an RBI fielder's choice by Kaplon that scored Kowalski.
Moravian senior catcher Blake Shortall was hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the tenth. Zubia reached on a Drew throwing error to put runners on the corners with one out. Seitzinger followed with an RBI infield single to score Shortall and cut the Rangers' lead to 4-2. O'Keefe grounded out to put the runners at second and third with two outs. Freshman third baseman Ryan Luke then connected on a two-RBI single up the middle to score Zubia and Seitzinger to tie the game at 4-4.
Rangers' junior outfielder Michael Bodden led off the top of the 11th inning with an infield single off of Moravian sophomore pitcher Ben Hammel, and Bodden moved to third on an error by the Greyhounds on a bunt by DeBonis. Freshman Matthew Hunter came in to pinch hit and connected on an RBI single to score Bodden and put Drew back in front, 5-4.
In the bottom of the 11th inning, Shortall reached on an error with two outs for the Greyhounds. Sophomore Harrison Fonteix came into run for Shortall. Freshman pinch hitter Justin Pilchman drew a walk to bring up the top of the Moravian line-up. However, Zubia flew out to end the game.
The Rangers had a 15-6 advantage in hits with Kowalski going four-for-five and Bodden posting a four-for-six performance. Murray was two-for-four for Drew wile Seitzinger and Connell were both two-for-five to lead the Greyhounds at the plate. Moravian did set team records for hits, at-bats, stolen bases and innings pitched in a season.
Hammel took the loss for Moravian, allowing a run on two hits with a strikeout in his only inning on the mound. Mariano gave up a run on ten hits to go with three strikeouts in 7.1 innings of action while Longernecker allowed three runs on three hits and four walks in 2.2 innings.
Rock earned the victory for Drew to improve to 6-2 on the mound. He allowed three runs, just one earned, on two hits and a walk to go in five innings of action. Myers tossed the first six-plus innings and gave up a run on four hits and two walks to go with a pair of strikeouts.
