Baseball Drops Two Games at Snowbird Classic in Florida
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. --- The Moravian College baseball team dropped a pair of games at the Snowbird Classic in Port Charlotte, Florida on Thursday, falling to No. 24 Baldwin-Wallace (Ohio) College, 6-5, in the opener and 15-6 to John Carroll (Ohio) University in the second game.
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. --- The Moravian College baseball team dropped a pair of games at the Snowbird Classic in Port Charlotte, Florida on Thursday, falling to No. 24 Baldwin-Wallace (Ohio) College, 6-5, in the opener and 15-6 to John Carroll (Ohio) University in the second game.
Moravian, now 2-6 on the season, had 12 hits in the opener versus Baldwin-Wallace with freshman left fielder Carmine Palummo going 3-for-4. Senior center fielder Anthony Gaetaniello was 3-for-5 with a double while sophomore shortstop Matt Stalter had a 2-for-4 game and freshman second baseman Ian Csencsits went 2-for-3.
Junior Ryan Kahn had the start on the mound and allowed six runs, just four earned, on eight hits and a walk to go with eight strikeouts in six innings of action. Kahn now has 99 strikeouts in his career with the Hounds. Sophomore Billy Roethke tossed the final two innings and allowed just one walk.
The Greyhounds jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Gaetaniello led off with a double and scored on a throwing error as sophomore right fielder Mike Mittl stole second base.
Baldwin-Wallace scored three times in the bottom of the first and twice more in the second frame to take a 5-1 lead.
Moravian would plate a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning to cut the deficit to 5-3. Palummo led off with a single and raced home on an RBI single up the middle by freshman catcher Ian Luberti. Luberti eventually scored on an RBI bunt single by Gaetaniello.
The Greyhounds moved within a run at 5-4 in the top of the fifth inning as junior first baseman Joey Maker started the frame with an infield single, and he would score on an RBI ground out by junior designated hitter David Wodzsiz. Moravian would pull even with the Yellow Jackets in the top of the sixth inning at 5-5 after Stalter led off with a single and scored on an RBI sacrifice fly by Mittl.
Baldwin-Wallace moved back in front with a run in the sixth inning for the 6-5 edge. The Greyhounds threatened in the top of the seventh by loading the bases but the Blue and Grey were unable to get the equalizer home. Moravian left 13 runners on base in the game including nine in scoring position.
The Greyhounds had eight hits against John Carroll with Palummo going 2-for-3 while sophomore second baseman Tim Heard added two RBIs.
Junior Clay Weidemoyer made the start on the mound for Moravian and allowed seven runs on seven hits and three walks in four plus innings of action. Sophomore Kevin Shields also pitched four plus innings with three runs on four hits to go with a strikeout while junior Adam Howard tossed the final inning with five runs, three earned, on three hits and two walks to go with one strikeout.
Moravian jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Palummo drew a walk to start the frame, and he raced around to score on an RBI double by Heard. Sophomore third baseman Evan Kulig scored on an RBI ground out by Stalter while Heard crossed the plate on an RBI bunt single by Gaetaniello. After and infield single by Csencsits, Mittl connected on an RBI single through the left side to score Gaetaniello.
John Carroll answered with three runs in the top of the third inning and two more in the top half of the fourth to take a 5-4 lead. The Blue Streaks would add two runs in the top of the fifth to push their advantage to 7-4.
The Greyhounds scored twice in the bottom of the sixth to pull within a run at 7-6. Wodzsiz singled with one out and eventually crossed the plate on when Kulig reached on an error. Heard followed with an RBI ground out that scored Palummo, who had also singled.
John Carroll scored eight runs in the top of the ninth to extend its lead to take a 15-6 and finish off the scoring.
Moravian is scheduled to finish its trip to the Snowbird Classic on Friday, March 10 with games versus Wheaton (Ill.) College at 9:00 a.m. and Bluffton (Ohio) University at 12:00 p.m.
