SELINSGROVE, PA (March 22, 2022) -- The Susquehanna University baseball team celebrated their 2022 home opener in style Tuesday afternoon, getting a walk-off, pinch-hit RBI single from
Thomas Romanelli to pick up a hard-fought 7-6 victory over Penn State Harrisburg in action from Bollinger Field.
The River Hawks (4-11) jumped out in front early on, as JP Yore played
Sean McCulloch with a run-scoring fly out to center in the bottom of the second. SU tacked on another run in the bottom of the third to make it 2-0, as Yore reached on an infield single and came around to score on a RBI single to center by
Lance Book.
The Lions (6-10) would roar right back though in the top of the fifth with four runs, as Dallas Hite led off the frame with a solo homerun. After a single, Penn State Harrisburg took its first lead of the game on a two-run shot to right field off the bat of Matt Parks. The Lions pushed another run across on a double steal later in the stanza to take a 4-2 lead.
Susquehanna wasted no time trimming the Harrisburg lead down to one as
Michael Biuso singled in
Adam Schreck, who led off the inning with a single to left field. Still down one heading to the bottom of the seventh, Susquehanna regained its lead with three runs to take a 6-4 lead. In the frame, Yore and Schreck reached to start the inning and then came around to score on a throwing error by the pitcher, as
Tony Rossi went around to third base on the mistake. A batter later, Book lifted a sacrifice fly to right to score Rossi.
The Lions would battle back with a run in the eighth inning, and then tied the game in the ninth on a wild pitch. In the bottom of the ninth, Susquehanna had its first two hitters retired but Rossi worked a walk and was pinch run for by CJ Latham. Latham would rattle the Harrisburg pitcher into a balk to get into scoring position, and
Thomas Borum reached on a hit by pitch.
Head coach Denny Bowers would go to his bench, sending Romanelli up to bat with the game on the line. The sophomore delivered, smoking a rocket off the first baseman and the throw to the plate to get Latham wasn't in time to hand the River Hawks the win.
McCulloch finished with a 2-for-4 day for the River Hawks, scoring once, while Book added two hits and two runs scored. Yore and Schreck each scored twice to go with singles of their own, and Rossi reached three times on a hit and two walks.
First-year
Nathan Dawes started for SU, going four innings while allowing five hits and three earned runs, striking out three Lion hitters.
Aidan Piccioni worked a solid 2.2 frames in relief, surrendering just one hits and one earned run.
Anthony Colucci followed with 1.1 innings out of the bullpen, allowing two hits and striking out two hitters, and
Adam Stuck moved to 2-0 on the season with a scoreless ninth inning.
Up Next
- Susquehanna will not have to wait to get back on the diamond, as Albright College comes to Selinsgrove and Bollinger Field Wednesday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. in non-conference action.
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--RIVER HAWKS--
