MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. --- The Moravian College baseball squad began its trip to the Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with a 15-0 win over New England College Sunday night.
The Greyhounds had 13 hits in the game led by junior right fielder Thomas Philipps, who was 3-for-4, while senior center fielder Carmine Palummo and junior first baseman Brett Moyer both went 2-for-4.
Sophomore Eddie Olsen made the start on the mound and scattered two hits and a walk to go with a career-high 10 strikeouts in six innings of action. Senior Connor Morro tossed the final three innings for his first save of the season as he allowed one hit and one walk to go with six strikeouts.
The Hounds jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Palummo singled with one out and stole second, the first of two stolen bases for Palummo in the game, before senior left fielder Ian Csencsits drew walk. After the second out of the inning, sophomore third baseman David Bertolotti connected on a two-RBI double to left center to score Palummo and Csencsits.
Moravian tacked on a run in the bottom of the third inning for a 3-0 edge when freshman shortstop Mason Fisher led off with a triple and scored on an RBI single from Palummo.
The Hounds stretched their advantage to 7-0 with a four-run seventh inning. Sophomore second baseman Royce Frazier began the frame with a walk and would score on an error that allowed Fisher to reach second base. Fisher raced home on a passed ball. The Blue and Grey scored two more times on a wild pitch as Csencsits and Moyer crossed the plate.
The Blue and Grey pushed the edge to 15-0 with eight runs in the bottom of the eighth. Frazier reached on a fielder's choice before junior shortstop Michael Miceli singled and Palummo walked to load the bases. Csencsits followed with a two-RBI double down the right field line as Frazier and Miceli scored. Moyer connected on an RBI single that brought in Palummo, and Csencsits crossed the plate for the third time in the game and the 100th time in his career, the 14th player in school history with 100 runs, on an RBI single by sophomore designated hitter AJ Brosious. Senior catcher Ian Luberti followed with a two-RBI triple to bring in Moyer and Brosious while an error on a ball hit by Frazier brought in Luberti and Phillips, who had walked.
The Greyhounds are scheduled to return to action at the Ripken Experience on Monday, March 2 in a doubleheader versus Bridgewater (Va.) College beginning at 3:00 p.m.
