MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. --- The Moravian College baseball team dropped both games of a doubleheader versus Bridgewater (Va.) College at the Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Monday, falling by scores of 7-6 and 18-5.
In the opener, the Greyhounds had 10 hits with senior center fielder Carmine Palummo and junior left fielder Thomas Philipps were both 2-for-3 with Palummo scoring three times and connecting on the first home run of his career. Senior right fielder Ian Csencsits was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored while junior first baseman Brett Moyer added three RBIs.
Sophomore Scott Poulson tossed the first 4.2 innings with three walks and three strikeouts while junior Rodney Berger recorded a strikeout with two walks in 2.1 innings of work.
Bridgewater jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. The Hounds answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning. Palummo singled with one out and would score on an RBI ground out by Moyer. Csencsits, who had singled earlier in the frame, crossed the plate on an RBI single from sophomore third baseman David Bertolotti.
The Eagles scored twice in the top of the third to push their edge to 5-2 while Moravian scored twice in the bottom of the fifth to make it a one-run game again. Palummo led off with a solo homer to right field while Csencsits singled again and scored on an RBI single from Philipps.
Bridgewater scored two more runs in the top of the sixth for a 7-4 lead. Once again, the Blue and Grey scored in the bottom half of the inning with two more runs. Freshman shortstop Mason Fisher walked with one out, and Palummo was hit by a pitch. The duo both raced home on a two RBI single from Moyer. However, the Greyhounds were unable to tie the game to force extra innings.
Game two saw Moravian with six hits as junior shortstop Michael Miceli went 2-for-2 with a pair of runs and a double. Freshman second baseman Chris Pow was 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
Freshman Tyler Valentine made the start on the mound for the Blue and Grey and recorded two strikeouts in three innings of action. Freshman Andrew Connallon pitched a third of an inning while freshman Ethan Weber pitched to four batters. Junior Kyle Serman and sophomore Kyle Petsch each tossed a third of an inning. Junior Kevin Brandt had a pair of strikeouts in one inning on the mound while freshman Noah Ingalls had one strikeout in his first collegiate appearance.
The Eagles scored a run in the bottom of the first and then added four more runs in the second to take a 5-0 lead.
The Hounds answered back with four runs in the top of the third frame to make it a one-run game. Senior third baseman Kole Rodrigues and senior catcher Ian Luberti each drew walks to start the inning and then moved up a base on a wild pitch. Miceli would drive in Rodgiues with an RBI single while Pow followed with an RBI single to plate Luberti. Csencsits reached on an RBI fielder's choice that chased Miceli across the plate while Pow scored the final run of the inning on an RBI single from Philipps.
The Greyhounds would knot the contest at 5-5 with a run in the top of the fourth inning when Miceli connected on a two-out double and raced home on an RBI single up the middle from Pow. Bridgewater answered in the bottom half of the fourth frame when the Eagles scored 13 runs.
Moravian is slated to return to action on Tuesday, March 3 when the squad plays the College of Saint Elizabeth at 1:00 p.m. at the Ripken Experience.
