BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian University baseball squad dropped its 2024 home opener, falling to visiting Penn State Brandywine, 8-4, in non-conference action at Gillespie Field Thursday afternoon. 

How It Happened

• The Greyhounds took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Senior first baseman Cole Cherkas singled to begin the frame, and he came across the plate on a bases loaded RBI single by senior catcher Connor Wengryn
• The Lions answered with a run in the top of the third inning to knot the score at 1-1
• The Blue & Grey retook the lead with a run in the bottom of the fifth for a 2-1 edge. Senior shortstop Paul Croyle drew a one-out walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. Croyle stole third and raced home on a throwing error on the play
• Once again, Penn State Brandywine countered with a run in the top of the sixth to tie the contest again at 2-2
• The Nittany Lions pushed five runs across the plate in the top of the seventh inning to take a 7-2 advantage
• Brandywine added a run in the top of the eighth for an 8-2 edge
• The Greyhounds chased a pair of runs home in the bottom of the ninth inning to finish off the scoring. Senior left fielder David Olsakowski connected on a one-out single, and senior center fielder Matt Madigan followed with a double. Croyle ripped a two-RBI single through the left side to bring in both Olsakowski and Madigan

Inside the Numbers

• Moravian had nine hits in the game with Cherkas going 2-for-3 with a run
• Croyle contributed a hit, a run, two RBIs and a pair of stolen bases while Wengryn had a hit and an RBI
• Olsakowski and Madigan each had a hit and a run with Olsakowski stealing two bases and Madigan connecting on a double while graduate student second baseman Chris Pow, graduate student third baseman Jack Tone and junior right fielder Nick Henry all had one hit
• Sophomore Russ Hoffman started on the mound for the Hounds, and he allowed a run on six hits to go with a pair of strikeouts in three innings of action. Freshman Antorius Cofield tossed two-plus innings with a run on three hits and two walks to go with two strikeouts while graduate student Noah Ingalls pitched 1.2 innings with five runs on five hits and three walks. Freshman Nick Leonard tossed 1.1 innings with a run on three hits and a walk while graduate student Ethan Weber pitched the final inning with two strikeouts

Up Next for the Greyhounds

• Saturday, March 16 at Cabrini University, 12:00 p.m.
• Sunday, March 17 vs. Penn State-Abington, 12:00 p.m. – Completion of game from March 5 in Florida suspended by lightning with Moravian batting in the top of third inning and Penn State-Abington leading 2-1