Price Becomes All-time At-bats Leader in SU's 5-3 Win Over King's (Pa.)

SELINSGROVE, Pa. -- The Susquehanna University baseball team earned a non-conference victory against visiting King's College (Pa.), 5-3, at Harold Bollinger Field on March 24.

Susquehanna (7-7 overall) was led by senior infielder/catcher Chris Price (Coral Springs, Fla./Coral Glades), who went 2-for-4 with a run batted in, a run scored and a stolen base. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Price smacked a single through the left side of the infield to become SU's all-time at-bats leader with 465. Mike Gerhart '95 held the previous mark of 464 at bats from 1992 to 1995. Price finished the game with 466 at bats.

King's (8-3 overall) took the lead in the top of the first without recording a hit in the inning. SU answered right back in the bottom half of the inning on a Price single that scored senior infielder Zack Brigman (Yardville, N.J./Hamilton West) to tie the game at 1.

Brigman went 1-for-3 on the day with a double in the bottom of the third, a hit batsman and two runs scored.

In the bottom of the second, SU took advantage of some sloppy play by King's to take the lead without a hit, 2-1. Freshman infielder Nick Ferlise (Toms River, N.J./Toms River North) reached on a fielder's choice, then advanced to second base on a wild pitch and moved to third on a throwing error by the Monarchs pitcher. Ferlise was then driven in on a sacrifice fly by junior infielder Geoff Hunter (Sugarloaf, Pa./Hazleton Area).

Ferlise went 1-for-2 in the game with two walks, an RBI and a run scored, while Hunter stole a base.

Crusaders freshman outfielder Ken Kayama [Koto-Ku, Japan/Solebury (Pa.)] went 2-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base, most of which took place in the third inning. In that inning, Kayama singled, stole second, advanced to third on a walk and was driven in on a sacrifice fly by junior infielder Erik Tuomisto (Northumberland, Pa./Shikellamy). Tuomisto also walked in the game.

Senior catcher Don Kirkland (Kennett Square, Pa./Unionville) went 1-for-3 with a walk, picking up his 100th career hit in the process.

Teammate and freshman Matt Roe (Freehold, N.J./St. John Vianney) pitched the first three innings of the game and gave up one hit, an unearned run and struck out two batters.

The next six innings of play were all pitched by a different Crusaders hurler. Sophomore Matt Lottes (Muttontown, N.Y./Long Island Lutheran) was first out of the bullpen to earn the win. Lottes struck out two batters to pick up his second win of the season.

Freshman Brian Wendig (West Chester, Pa./Malvern Prep) gave up a hit and struck out one, and senior Ben Leonard (Johnstown, Pa./Shade) gave up one hit in four batters faced. After Leonard, freshman Nick Torkildsen (Milford, Pa./Delaware Valley HS) made an appearance and gave up two runs on two hits.

The final two SU pitchers were sophomore Jordan Thomas (Westminster, Md./Westminster HS) and junior Joe Schurig (Westfield, N.J./Westfield). Thomas struck out one in his inning of work, and Schurig recorded his first save of the season by pitching the ninth.