Baseball Splits at Haverford, 8-7, 1-15; Chris Price Ties Career HR Record

HAVERFORD, Pa. -- The Susquehanna University baseball team split a non-conference doubleheader with host Haverford College, 8-7, 1-15, at Class of '16 Field on March 20.

Susquehanna (6-5 overall) scored three runs in the seventh inning to take the final lead of the first game. Junior Joe Schurig (Westfield, N.J./Westfield) earned the pitching win and improved to 3-0 this season by throwing a scoreless sixth inning. Senior Ben Leonard (Johnstown, Pa./Shade) relieved Schurig and earned a save by holding onto the lead despite two final-inning runs from Haverford (7-5 overall).

Schurig allowed no hits and just one walk. Leonard allowed two runs on three hits and a walk. He induced a flyout to end the game with the tying run on second base.

Schurig replaced junior pitcher/infielder Calvin Hug (West Chester, Pa./Unionville), who allowed three earned runs on seven hits and three walks over the first five innings. Hug struck out five batters.

Senior infielder/catcher Chris Price (Coral Springs, Fla./Coral Glades) led SU's offense in Game 1. Price went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a game-high four runs batted in. He also stole a base and smacked his 18th career homerun to tie the all-time Crusaders record. Bill Hart '78 hit 18 HR as well from 1975 to 1978.

SU's junior infielder Erik Tuomisto (Northumberland, Pa./Shikellamy) doubled as part of a 2-for-3 opener. Senior infielder Zack Brigman (Yardville, N.J./Hamilton West) and junior infielder Geoff Hunter (Sugarloaf, Pa./Hazleton Area) both went 2-for-4 in that game. Brigman stole two bases and scored two runs, and Hunter drove in a run.

Sophomore infielder Ethan Rieker (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Twp.) singled and scored in his lone at bat. Senior catcher Don Kirkland (Kennett Square, Pa./Unionville) batted 1-for-2 with two walks, a run and an RBI. Junior infielder Justin Portzline (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove Area) singled and scored in three at bats. Freshman outfielder Ken Kayama [Koto-Ku, Japan/Solebury (Pa.)] went 1-for-4 with a double, a run and an RBI.

Haverford took control of Game 2 with a seven-run fifth inning.

Junior Andy Hergan (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central Columbia) took the loss, surrendering nine hits and a walk for five earned runs in the first 4 1/3 innings. Senior Jeff Kirch (Morristown, N.J/Morristown) followed and yielded five runs on three hits and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. Kirch struck out two batters.

Freshman Tyler Della Badia (Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains-Fanwood) was next. Badia allowed four runs on six hits and a walk over two innings. He had one strikeout. Freshman Nick Torkildsen (Milford, Pa./Delaware Valley HS) finished the game for SU, allowing just one walk in a scoreless eighth inning.

The Crusaders notched their only Game 2 run in the second inning. Price doubled to lead off the frame and scored on a two-out single by freshman infielder Nick Ferlise (Toms River, N.J./Toms River North). Both players finished the nightcap 1-for-3.

Next Games: Sunday, March 21, vs. SUNY Oneonta (DH) (non-conference games), 11 a.m.

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