SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Senior outfielder Steve Lorenz (Langhorne, Pa./William Penn Charter) connected on his 100th career hit with his second hit in the first game as the Susquehanna University baseball team began Landmark Conference play Saturday against Juniata College. Susquehanna (1-4, 1-1 LC) notched its first win of the season, taking the first game, 15-5, before Juniata (2-4, 2-4 LC) claimed the nightcap, 8-6.
 
NOTE: Sunday's (March 28) doubleheader at Juniata has been rescheduled for May 8.
 
GAME 1
How It Happened
Susquehanna scored at least one run in all seven innings behind 13 hits, five walks, and three Juniata errors.
 
The game was tied 1-1 after the first inning and the River Hawks rattled off three in the second for a 4-1 lead after two innings. Each side led off the third inning with a home run – senior infielder Isaac Maclay getting his second of the game for Juniata and junior infielder Adam Schreck (Manasquan, N.J./Manasquan) for Susquehanna – and SU owned a 5-2 advantage through three.
 
Susquehanna boasted a 9-2 lead after five innings after scoring three in the fourth and adding one more in the fifth. Lorenz notched his 100th career hit in the bottom of the fifth with a single.
 
The Eagles added a run in the sixth to cut the lead to 9-3 before Susquehanna erupted for six runs in its half of the sixth inning. Juniata finished the game with two runs in the top of the seventh as Maclay cracked his third home run of the game, this time a two-run homer.
 
Inside the Box Score
The 13 hits are a season-best for Susquehanna. The River Hawks connected on four doubles and one home run while stealing a season-best eight bases. SU also had four players hit by a pitch.
 
Juniata put up seven hits, including double and three home runs.
 
Top Performers
Five River Hawks finished with two hits each while fifth-year senior outfielder Craig Roumes (Succasunna, N.J./Roxbury) and senior catcher Peter Yarem (Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains-Fanwood) each drove in three runs. First-year southpaw Teagan Duffie (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone Area) notched the win in his first career start as Duffie (1-0) pitched a two-hitter, allowing just two runs (both earned) in 5.0 innings with five walks and four strikeouts. He had one wild pitch and hit one Eagle batter.
 
Maclay's impressive first game finished with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate as all three hits were home runs and drove in four runs. Senior Julius Thomas dropped to 1-1 on the season after giving up four runs (all earned) on five hits in 2.0 innings and hitting three batters.
 
GAME 2
How It Happened
Juniata ran out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the second inning, highlighted by senior outfielder Ryan McClain's two-out, two-run triple. The Eagles tacked on two more in the third, scoring on a sacrifice fly to right field and on a wild pitch, to stake a 6-0 advantage.
 
The River Hawks responded with six runs of their own in the bottom of the third as senior infielder Chris Corrado (Tuckahoe, N.Y./Tuckahoe) and sophomore designated hitter JP Yore (Olney, Md./Sherwood) each cranked a home run – a solo for Corrado and a three-run shot for Yore – to cut the deficit to 6-4 with two outs on the board. Fifth-year senior infielder Alec Ranck (Elverson, Pa./Twin Valley) then drove in Schreck, who had drawn a walk, with a double to left-center to close the gap to 6-5. Ranck then stole third and scored on a wild pitch to knot the game up at 6-6. With runners on second and third, sophomore reliever Jack Dovidio got the Eagles out of the jam with a strikeout.
 
The pitchers held their own, keeping each side off the scoreboard for the next two innings.
 
Juniata broke the 6-6 draw with two runs in the sixth as sophomore infielder Evan Mock scored on McClain's double after reaching on an error. McClain then scored on a balk to post a two-run lead.
 
The River Hawks were held to just three base runners and one hit over the final two innings.
 
Inside the Box Score
SU scored six runs on six hits and four Eagle errors. The River Hawks notched four extra-base hits on two doubles and two homers.
 
The Eagles tallied eight hits, including three extra-base hits, and left only three on base.
 
Top Performers
Six River Hawks tallied one hit while Yore registered three RBI. Junior starter Kyle Sears (Oakland, N.J./Indian Hills) suffered the loss for SU as Sears (0-1) allowed eight runs (seven earned) on eight hits in 5.2 innings. He struck out four while walking three, hitting one, and throwing one wild pitch.
 
Senior infielder Jake Swank led the Eagles with a 3-for-4 effort and two runs scored while McClain finished 2-for-4 with a triple and a double plus three RBI. Dovidio improved to 1-1 on the season with 4.1 innings of relief, holding Susquehanna to just one run on four hits. He struck out four, walked one, hit one, and had one wild pitch.
 
Up Next for the River Hawks
Apr. 2 vs. Elizabethtown (5-1, 5-1 Landmark) – Selinsgrove, Pa. / Harold Bollinger Field – 12:30 p.m. (DH)
 
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