Susquehanna Baseball Drops Two at Moravian, 3-4, 5-6

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- The Susquehanna University baseball team dropped its first two games in Landmark Conference action this season against host Moravian College, 3-4, 5-6, at Gillespie Field on March 27.

Susquehanna (7-9, 0-2 Landmark) led Game 1, 3-1, entering the bottom of the seventh inning but gave up three runs in that inning to lose the contest. Moravian (8-5, 4-1 Landmark) used four straight hits in that inning to tie the game up at 3. A wild pitch forced the Crusaders to intentionally walk the next batter, but a hit batsman on the next plate appearance drove in the winning run.

Junior Keith Needham (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg Area) threw six strong innings for SU, giving up just two hits and one earned run in a no-decision. Fellow junior Joe Schurig (Westfield, N.J./Westfield) was unable to record an out in the seventh inning, suffering the loss.

SU's senior catcher Don Kirkland (Kennett Square, Pa./Unionville) went 2-for-3 in Game 1 with a run batted in. Teammate and junior infielder Justin Portzline (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove Area) stole two bases and drove in a run while going 1-for-2 at the plate.

Senior infielder Zack Brigman (Yardville, N.J./Hamilton West) smacked a double as part of a 1-for-4 Game 1 and scored a run. Senior infielder/catcher Chris Price (Coral Springs, Fla./Coral Glades) walked, scored a run and drove in a runner in an 0-for-1 first game.

In Game 2, Susquehanna jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the top half of the first inning, but Moravian tied the score at 2 after the second inning. SU regained the lead, 4-2, in the top of the third only to see its lead fade away after the fourth inning, 5-4. The Crusaders fought back with another run in the sixth, but a wild pitch in the bottom of the eighth gave Moravian another walk-off win.

Freshman outfielder Ken Kayama [Koto-Ku, Japan/Solebury (Pa.)] had a game-high three hits (on five at bats) in Game 2. Kayama scored a run, drove in another and stole a base.

Portzline stole another base in the nightcap and also went 2-for-2 at the plate. He scored twice and was hit by a pitch.

Crusaders junior infielder Erik Tuomisto (Northumberland, Pa./Shikellamy) drove in three runs and was hit by a pitch as part of a 2-for-3 Game 2. Fellow junior infielder Geoff Hunter (Sugarloaf, Pa./Hazleton Area) recorded a hit in three at bats, walked, and stole two bases.

Brigman and Price each scored and walked in the second game. Brigman also had a hit in four at bats.

Freshman outfielder Rasheed Stewart (Philadelphia, Pa./Germantown Friends) walked and stole a base in one at bat.

Junior Calvin Hug (West Chester, Pa./Unionville) pitched the first four innings, allowing three earned runs on eight hits.

Teammate and junior Andy Hergan (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central Columbia) struck out three batters in three innings of relief and allowed just one hit.

Sophomore Jordan Thomas (Westminster, Md./Westminster HS) recorded two outs in the eighth inning but was handed the loss by way of an unearned run. The runner reached base on a throwing error, then was sacrificed to second and moved up to third on a groundball to the right side. He then scored on the aforementioned wild pitch to end the game.