BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College baseball team earned two Landmark Conference wins improving to 7-5 overall in a doubleheader against Elizabethtown College at Gillespie Field on Sunday, capturing the opening game 3-2 in 10 innings and taking the nightcap 3-0.
"We are taking things one pitch at a time, one game at a time, it's all we are focused on," commented Head Coach Paul Engelhardt. "I think winning the first game the way we did loosened them up and it was good result."
Moravian out-hit Elizabethtown 10-3 in the first game as sophomore center fielder Anthony Gaetaniello, senior right fielder Matt Hanson, junior first basemen Charles Savite and junior catcher Mike Roethke each had two hits in the opener.
On the mound, freshman Dan Morrin threw 7.2 innings with four strikeouts. Juniors Ian Carbone and Hunter Guard also saw action with Guard picking up the victory after pitching the top of the 10th inning.
The Greyhounds jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a run in the bottom of the first inning as Savite singled up the middle to score Gaetaniello who was on second.
The Blue Jays took the lead in the top of the third frame with both teams going scoreless in the fourth and fifth inning. Hanson would start things off for the Hounds in the bottom of the sixth with a single and would advance to second on the next play. Senior left fielder Justin Pilchman singled up the middle scoring Hanson.
The Greyhounds and Blue Jays would finish the regulation seven innings tied at 2-2, playing another two scoreless innings before the Hounds came up the bottom of the 10th. Senior Colin Case and Hanson would be walked back-to-back bringing up Savite with the winning run in scoring position. Savite connected on a single to center field, scoring Case and ending the game, 3-2.
On the mound in the second game, freshman pitcher Ryan Kahn got his first collegiate start, pitching a full game as he faced 26 batters with eight strikeouts, one walk and no errors. At the plate, Hanson was 2-for-2 while Savite went 2-for-3 in game two.
"We were missing a few pitchers early on, so we wanted him in the pen and it was the perfect weekend to get him on the mound when we had everyone here," stated Engelhardt. "We had a full complement of pitchers we typically pitch in relief, so it gave us the opportunity to go ahead start him. We knew what he could do."
Once again, Moravian took the lead in the second game 1-0 in the bottom of the second. Savite singled up the middle and Pilchman moved him with a sacrifice bunt. Senior third basemen Ryan Luke singled up the middle scoring Savite.
Moravian played solid defense going three up, three down and looked to add more runs to the scoreboard in the bottom of the third. With runners on first and second, Gaetaniello laid down a sacrifice bunt placing runners in scoring position. Case hit an RBI ground out while Hanson singled to bring in the second run of the inning.
The Hounds are scheduled to return to action on Monday, March 30 when the squad looks to finish its Landmark Conference series against Elizabethtown College beginning at 4:00 p.m.
