Luke Tuttle and Cole Luzins each had a key two-run singles in the bottom of the ninth inning as a part of a seven-run rally and the Susquehanna University Baseball team was able to come back from a 10-2 deficit in the eighth inning to capture an 11-10 victory over Neumann University Tuesday afternoon at Bollinger Field in Selinsgrove.
The Knights (16-15) got off to a hot start, plating five runs in the top of the first inning on five hits. The River Hawks (10-16) were able to score one run in the bottom of the inning when Tom Giaimo and Ben Burman had a double steal and Giaimo scored when the catcher overthrew third base.
Neumann immediately got that run back in the top of the second before a Steve Lorenz RBI single brought the score to 6-2 in the bottom of the third.
The Knights scored three more times in the top of the fourth inning and once more in the sixth inning to take a 10-2 lead.
The River Hawks got two runs back in the bottom of the eighth inning to bring the score to 10-4 by virtue of a two-out two-run single by Luzins to plate Justin Miller and Craig Roumes.
Reliever Andrew Russell was able to work out of a jam without giving up a run in the top of the ninth inning to build momentum into a huge rally by the River Hawks.
Lance Welsh led off the bottom of the ninth with a clean single up the middle. After Lorenz was hit by a pitch, the Susquehanna capitalized on three straight walks to plate two runs and leave the bases loaded with no outs.
Trailing 10-6, Tuttle hit a two-run single to left field to cut the lead in half and Miller walked to reload the bases, still with no outs in the inning.
Luzins followed with a sharply hit two-run single and Miller advanced to third on the play. The game ended when Giaimo hit a ground ball to third base that was fumbled and Miller beat the throw home and the River Hawks walked off with an 11-10 victory.
All 11 players the River Hawks sent to the plate reached base in the win. Russell threw 5 1/3 innings in relief while only giving up one unearned run on two hits.
Tuttle and Lorenz had three hits apiece and Luzins had a team leading four RBI.
The River Hawks are right back at it tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m. when they take on Messiah at Bollinger Field.
