READING, Pa. --- The Moravian College baseball team connected on 15 hits for the third straight game as the Greyhounds defeated Penn State-Berks, 12-6, in non-conference action as the Greyhounds won their third consecutive game.
The Greyhounds scored four times in the top of the first inning to jump out to a 4-0 lead. Freshman outfielder Jimmy McCarthy led off the game with a single and eventually scored on a wild pitch. Sophomore outfielder Chris Lansberry singled after McCarthy and scored on an RBI single from freshman first baseman Charles Savite. Freshman second baseman Alex Bull added an RBI single to send Savite across the plate while junior outfielder Joseph Connell scored on an RBI sacrifice fly by junior catcher Matthew Gutkes.
The Lions answered with all six of their runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 6-4 lead. Freshman third baseman Allen Mendenhall put PSU-Berks in front with a two-RBI single.
Moravian would cut the deficit to a run with one tally in the top of the fifth inning when Lansberry led off with a walk and scored on an RBI single by Savite.
The Greyhounds retook the lead, 8-6, with three runs in the top of the seventh inning. Lansberry started the inning with double, and he scored on an RBI double from Savite. Bull connected on an RBI single to score Savite with the winning run, and Bull eventually scored on a wild pitch and error by the Lions.
Moravian added four runs in the top of the eighth to finish the scoring. Sophomore outfielder Justin Pilchman led off with a single and scored on an error on a ball hit by Lansberry. Connell drew a bases loaded walk in the inning to score Lansberry before Bull finished the scoring with a two-RBI single.
The Greyhounds had a 15-12 edge in hits with Lansberry going three-for-four and scoring four runs. Savite and Bull were each three-for-five for Moravian with Bull adding four RBIs and Savite driving in three more. Pilchman was also two-for-four for the Greyhounds. Outfielder Brad Dierolf led the Lions at the plate, going three-for-five while Mendenhall was two-for-three.
Moravian used four pitchers in the game with junior Chris Soltys improving to 2-0 on the season after allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out three batters in 3 2/3 innings. Freshman Brett Wagner started on the mound of the Greyhounds and gave up six runs on eight hits and a walk with one strikeout in 2 1/3 innings. Freshman Anthony Zaloga tossed one inning with two strikeouts for Moravian while junior Ben Hammel pitched the final two innings with two hits and a walk.
Penn State-Berks used five pitchers in the game with Mason Mecke taking the loss in relief.
The Greyhounds are scheduled to return to action on Saturday, April 13th when they host The University of Scranton in a Landmark Conference doubleheader at Gillespie Field starting at 1:00 p.m.
