Boxscore
BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Susquehanna University committed 12
errors--leading to 14 unearned runs--and dropped a Landmark
Conference baseball playoffs game, 21-11, to The Catholic
University of America at Moravian College's Gillespie Field on May
7.
Susquehanna (21-18 overall) is the Landmark playoffs' No. 3 seed
and now must work its way through the losers bracket of this
double-elimination tournament to reach the championships round. No.
2-seeded Catholic (22-16 overall) moves on to the winners bracket,
where it will face No. 1-seeded Moravian (24-13 overall) on
Saturday, May 8, at 9 a.m.
Moravian topped No. 4-seeded Juniata (13-24 overall), 13-0,
earlier on May 7 to reach the winners bracket. SU must now face
Juniata in an elimination game later on May 7. The winner of that
game will play the loser of the aforementioned Moravian and
Catholic game in another elimination contest on May 8.
Catholic jumped out to a 4-0 lead after three innings in the May
7 game against SU. Then, with the score at 4-2 in the bottom of the
fourth inning, Catholic scored nine more runs to pull away. The
Crusaders helped the Cardinals out with three errors in that
inning, and Catholic smacked a grand slam to right field for the
biggest blow.
Freshman Brian Wendig (West Chester, Pa./Malvern
Prep) suffered the loss, allowing six runs on seven hits
and two walks over the first 3 1/3 innings. Sophomore
Jordan Thomas (Westminster, Md./Westminster HS)
followed and was tagged for seven runs (all unearned) on five hits
and one walk in one-third of an inning. Thomas
notched one strikeout.
Junior Andy Hergan (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central
Columbia) was next, giving up eight runs (one earned) in
four innings. Hergan allowed six hits and three
walks and struck out two batters. Senior Jeff Kirch
(Morristown, N.J/Morristown) got the final Catholic batter
out.
Junior infielder Justin Portzline (Selinsgrove,
Pa./Selinsgrove Area) led the Susquehanna offense with a
4-for-6 game, including a double and a two-run homer.
Portzline scored two other runs and drove in four
more. Teammate and senior infielder Zack Brigman
(Yardville, N.J./Hamilton West) went 3-for-5 with two
doubles, a hit batsman, a steal, an RBI and three runs scored.
Freshman infielder Nick Ferlise (Toms River, N.J./Toms
River North) went 2-for-4 for the Crusaders.
Ferlise was hit by a pitch, scored once and drove
in three runs. Teammate and senior catcher Don Kirkland
(Kennett Square, Pa./Unionville) was 1-for-3 with a
double, walking twice and collecting two RBI.
SU's junior infielder Erik Tuomisto (Northumberland,
Pa./Shikellamy) and junior pitcher/infielder
Calvin Hug (West Chester, Pa./Unionville) both
batted 1-for-4. Tuomisto walked and drove in a
run, and Hug scored once.
Junior infielder Geoff Hunter (Sugarloaf, Pa./Hazleton
Area) went 1-for-5 with a run. Freshman outfielder
Ken Kayama [Koto-Ku, Japan/Solebury (Pa.)] was
0-for-1 but walked three times, was hit by a pitch and scored.
Senior infielder/catcher Chris Price (Coral Springs,
Fla./Coral Glades) walked twice, stole a base and scored
as part of an 0-for-4 game. Price has now scored
127 runs, which ties John Lunardi '09 for SU's career record.
Lunardi played for the Crusaders from 2006 to 2009.
Next Game: Friday, May 7, vs. Juniata (Landmark
Conference playoffs at Moravian), 4:30 p.m.
