Boxscore

SELINSGROVE, Pa. -- The Susquehanna University baseball team won the final game of its three-game series against Landmark Conference opponent The University of Scranton, 11-4, at Harold Bollinger Field on April 3.

Susquehanna (10-10, 3-3 Landmark) fell behind, 3-0, entering the bottom of the third inning but strung together five runs over the next three innings to regain the lead, 5-3. Scranton (11-13, 4-2 Landmark) picked up a run in the top of the seventh to cut the lead to 5-4, but SU tacked on five runs in its half of the inning to put the game away. It added its final run in the eighth inning.

All nine starting Crusaders batters recorded at least one hit in the game to help sophomore Matt Lottes (Muttontown, N.Y./Long Island Lutheran) improve to 4-0 on the season. Lottes tossed 6 2/3 innings and allowed just five hits and three walks while striking out five batters. He was credited with all four Scranton runs.

Sophomore infielder Ethan Rieker (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Twp.) batted 2-for-5 with two runs scored and three runs batted in. All three RBI came on Rieker's first career homerun to the opposite field in the bottom of the seventh. Teammate and senior catcher Don Kirkland (Kennett Square, Pa./Unionville) also smacked an opposite-field HR in the fifth inning as part of a 1-for-4 day. Kirkland also walked.

Crusaders junior pitcher/infielder Calvin Hug (West Chester, Pa./Unionville) tallied a game-high three hits (on three at bats) with a walk and two runs driven in, while freshman outfielder Ryan Crofts (Westport, Conn./Staples) had two hits in three at bats, including a double. Crofts also scored a run, drove in another, walked twice and stole a base.

SU's junior infielders Erik Tuomisto (Northumberland, Pa./Shikellamy) and Justin Portzline (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove Area) and freshman outfielder Corey Stirmer (Fulton, Md./Atholton) each recorded two hits in the game. Tuomisto scored a run, drove in another and stole a base in five at bats, while Portzline scored twice and laid down a sacrifice bunt in four at bats. Stirmer went to the plate five times, scoring a run and swiping a bag.

Senior infielder/catcher Chris Price (Coral Springs, Fla./Coral Glades) batted 1-for-4 with two runs scored and a stolen base and was hit by a pitch. Junior infielder Geoff Hunter (Sugarloaf, Pa./Hazleton Area) had a 1-for-5 day at the plate with a double, a run scored and an RBI.

Freshman Matt Roe (Freehold, N.J./St. John Vianney) relieved Lottes in the seventh and retired the only batter he faced by way of a groundout.

The back end of the bullpen shut the game down in the final two innings, as sophomore Jordan Thomas (Westminster, Md./Westminster HS) and senior Ben Leonard (Johnstown, Pa./Shade) combined to give up just one hit while striking out four batters. Thomas allowed three walks in his inning of action, while Leonard allowed the hit and struck out the side in the ninth.

Next Game: Tuesday, April 6, vs. Elizabethtown (non-conference game), 4 p.m.