Baseball Sweeps Drew to Earn Right to Host Landmark Conference Tournament

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Moravian College baseball team swept Landmark Conference foe Drew University in a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. The Greyhounds took the first game 5-4 while winning the second game 3-0.

In game one, Drew would strike first after junior outfielder Michael Bodden hit a lead-off double. He then scored after a wild pitch and a balk to put the Rangers up 1-0.

Senior shortstop Dave Zubia would tie the game right back up with a lead-off home run to left field for Moravian. Sophomore second baseman Daniel Seitzinger followed with a single through the left side. After a fly out, senior third baseman Gregg Steinman then hit a triple down the right field line to give the Hounds a 2-1 lead.

Senior catcher Blake Shortall would score in the second after a single. He then stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and then scored on an error by the catcher.

The Rangers would tie the game at three in the top of the third after a two RBI triple to left field by freshman shortstop Stephen Kowalski.

The Greyhound would take the lead back in the bottom of the fourth after a lead-off single from freshman outfielder Matt Hanson. He then worked his way to third where Shortall would drive him home. Sophomore outfielder Joseph Connell then hit a double to center field. Shortall then scored on a ground out to push Moravian's lead to 5-3.

Drew would tack on a run in the top of the sixth off of two hits to make the score 5-4, Moravian.

Senior pitcher Kyle Longernecker would finish the game for the Greyhounds, earning his second save of the season after pitching the final two innings in a 5-4 victory.

Freshman pitcher Chris Lansberry picked up his seventh win of the season after allowing three runs and striking out five in five innings of work. Zubia had a home run and two RBIs while Shortall went 2-for-3 with two runs and a RBI. Steinman went 1-for-3 with a RBI while Seitzinger had one hit and a run scored.

Freshman pitcher Matthew Hunter took the loss after allowing four earned runs and five runs total in four innings. Senior third baseman Pete Tuchol went 1-for-2 with two runs while Bodden went 2-for-4 with a run scored. Kowalski went 1-for-3 with two RBIs while freshman second baseman Michael Chiarella went 1-for-3 with a RBI.

In game two, both teams would keep each other off the scoreboard until the Greyhounds pushed three runs across the plate in the bottom of the fifth. It started with a lead-off double from Lansberry. He was then sacrificed over. Zubia would then be intentionally walked with two-outs. Seitzinger then laid down a suicide squeeze bunt to score Lansberry. Senior first baseman Kevin O'Keefe then hit a double to left-center to score two more runs for a 3-0 lead. With that double, O'Keefe becomes the all-time record holder with 53 career doubles. That would be all the runs scored as Moravian would win 3-0.

Senior pitcher Brendan Close would earn his seventh victory of the season after pitching a complete game shutout while striking out three, and only allowing five hits. O'Keefe has two RBIs while Seitzinger has a RBI and a run scored. Lansberry and Zubia both had a run scored as well.

Sophomore pitcher Alex Taylor took the loss for the Rangers after giving up three runs in six innings of work. Drew combined for five hits as a team.

Moravian hosts Drew again tomorrow, Sunday, April 29 in the final game of the 2012 regular season. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.