SELINSGROVE, PA (April 9, 2022) -- Despite a two-hour rain delay during game one, the Susquehanna University baseball team was able to take both ends of a Landmark Conference doubleheader with Drew University. Susquehanna picked up game one 7-1 before topping Drew 10-4 in the nightcap. 

Game 1: Susquehanna 7, Drew 1

Senior starting pitcher Dillan Weikel threw eight innings, only allowing one unearned run while striking out seven in the victory.  

The River Hawks took an early lead after a second inning rally started by junior J.P. Yore singling to left. Senior Adam Schreck then reached on a fielder's choice before first-years Tony Rossi and Lance Book both worked walks to load the bases. In the middle of the scoring opportunity, it began to rain.  

After a two hour-long rain delay came to an end, Sophomore Michael Biuso delivered the big hit with one out in the inning, singling through the left side to bring home Schreck and Rossi.   

The River Hawks would tack on in the third. Yore again got things going with a one-out single, setting the table for Tony Rossi, who's two out, opposite field double put Susquehanna up three. 

In the fifth, Kris Morrow managed to manufacture a run single handedly without recording a hit. Morrow walked to lead off the inning, then stole second. After an Adam Schreck fly out, he would advance to third on a wild pitch. Then, he scored on a balk.

On the other side of the ball, Weikel had everything working today, holding Drew to one, unearned run in the seventh. Senior Shane Benson got things started with a bunt hit down the third base line. Matt Myers followed that up with a single to right. First-year Ryan Jones then grounded to Weikel who threw to Biuso for one. Biuso sailed the relay to first, allowing Benson to score on the error. 

The River Hawks blew it open in the eighth with a barrage of singles, capped off by a double from sophomore Sean McCulloch that drove in two and brought the score up to seven to one.

Sophomore Adam Stuck relieved Weikel in the ninth to close the game out and seal the River Hawk's eighth win of the season. 

It was a standout game for Biuso, who went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. The young infielder was in the middle for almost everything for the River Hawks offensively. 

Game 2: Susquehanna 10, Drew 4
The River Hawks were carried to victory by another strong pitching performance, this one turned in by sophomore Teagan Duffie, who went seven innings surrendering only two runs in the victory. 

The Rangers played small ball early. After junior Anthony Diaz singled through the left side, senior Cole Bosch laid down a sacrifice bunt to move him to second. Junior K.J. Hallgren grounded out to the pitcher, but a lapse in defensive focus and the speed of Diaz allowed him to come around and score, giving Drew the one nothing lead. 

The River Hawks tied it in the bottom half of the inning. Sophomore Sean McCulloch doubled down the left field line and stole third early in the next at bat. With one out in the inning, senior Evan Knapp showed off his situational hitting, grounding a ball to the right side to bring the run home and tie the game. 

The tie didn't last long. With two outs in the top of the second, Ranger Matt Myers split the gap in right-center field for a double. Mike Gallaro followed that up with an RBI single to retake the lead.      

The River Hawks would pull even again in the third after sophomore Kris Morrow was hit by a pitch, and advanced to third on an Evan Knapp single through the right side. J.P. Yore rolled a ball up the middle and Drew opted to go for two as opposed to throwing home, but Yore beat the throw to first, keeping the inning alive and allowing Morrow to score on the fielder's choice.   

After pulling even, Susquehanna wouldn't look back. McCulloch reached on an infield single in to start the fifth, advanced to third as the front end of a double steal, and eventually came around to score on a fielder's choice. In the sixth, Tony Rossi got the rally started with a double down the line in right. He, too, would come around to score on a fielder's choice.  

It was in the eighth inning that Susquehanna would blow it open. A Schreck walk kicked off the inning. He was pinch-run for in favor of the speedy junior CJ Latham. After a Tony Rossi single, the River Hawks pulled off another double steal, advancing the runners to second and third with no one out.  

Sophomore Tyler Hargus would bring Latham in on a sac fly. Tony Rossi came around on a Chris Corrado single up the middle. McCulloch then blasted a double into the right-center field gap, plating Corrado and giving the River Hawks a seven to two lead. After a Kris Morrow walk, Susquehanna pulled off their third double steal of the afternoon, this one forcing a throwing error from catcher Mike Gallaro. Corrado scored on the error. Evan Knapp would single to bring around Morrow and Knapp would later score on a single from sophomore Thomas Romanelli.  

Drew would score two in the top of the ninth on a Jake Bilhiemer home run, bringing the score to 10-4. After that slight hiccup, Aidan Martin would go on to slam the door on Susquehanna's ninth win of the season.  

It was a particularly strong showing from McCulloch, who finished 3-for-5 with two doubles, three stolen bases, an RBI, and three runs scored.  Knapp was 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Rossi finished 2-for-5 with two runs scored. SU stole eight bases in the contest. 

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Up Next

• The River Hawk baseball team will finish a three-game set with Drew University Sunday afternoon at 12:00 p.m. in action from Bollinger Field. 

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