MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. --- The Moravian College baseball team posted a 13-9 win over Johnson & Wales (R.I.) University Wednesday at the Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach in a contest played in a steady rain.
The Greyhounds, now 4-4 this spring, had 14 hits with sophomore designated hitter AJ Brosious going 4-for-4 with four RBIs, two runs and one of the Hounds' five doubles. Junior first baseman Brett Moyer was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI while senior left fielder Ian Csencsits went 2-for-5 with three RBIs, two runs and a double and freshman second baseman Chris Pow was also 2-for-5 with two runs and a double. Senior catcher Ian Luberti had a pair of hits to go with three RBIs while senior center fielder Carmine Palummo scored twice.
Sophomore Kyle Petsch made the start on the mound for the Blue and Grey and allowed a pair of unearned runs and recorded one strikeout in three innings of action. Senior Connor Morro earned his first winning of the season with 2.2 innings of relief work while junior Kevin Brandt posted the first save of his career, picking up four strikeouts over the final 3.1 innings of action.
Johnson & Wales took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning while the Greyhounds would score twice in the top of the third to take a 2-1 edge. Freshman shortstop Mason Fisher connected on a one-out double and raced home on an RBI single by Csencsits. Moyer then ripped an RBI double to score Csencsits.
The Wildcats knotted the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the third before Moravian took the lead for good with a three-run fourth inning. Brosious got things started with a leadoff single, and he crossed the plate on an RBI single by Luberti. After two outs and a walk by Palummo, Csencsits connected on a two-RBI double to bring in Luberti and Pow, who had reached on a fielder's choice.
The Blue and Grey added two runs in the top of the fifth to push the edge to 7-2 as Brosious and sophomore third baseman David Bertolotti both scored on a two-RBI single from Luberti. Johnson & Wales pulled within two runs with a three-run bottom of the fifth.
The Hounds scored a single run in the top of the sixth on four straight two-out walks with Bertolott's bases loaded base on balls pushing Moyer across the plate. The Wildcats also scored a single run in the sixth.
Moravian extended its lead to 11-6 with three runs in the seventh frame. Pow led off with a single and scored on an RBI fielder's choice off of Palummo's bat while Brosious had a two-RBI double to score Palummo and Moyer.
Johnson & Wales scored once in the seventh and twice in the eighth to pull within two runs again at 11-9.
The Greyhounds answered with a pair of insurance runs in the top of the ninth inning. Palummo was hit by a pitch to start the frame and Csencsits drew a walk. After a sacrifice bunt from Moyer, junior right fielder Thomas Philipps drew an intentional walk to load the bases. Brosious followed with a two-RBI single to bring Palummo and Csencsits home.
Moravian is scheduled to return to action on Thursday, March 5 with a doubleheader versus Hilbert (N.Y.) College beginning at 11:00 a.m. at the Ripken Experience.
