SCRANTON, PA (MAY 14, 2022) – The Susquehanna University team fell to third seeded Elizabethtown College 7-5 in the winner's bracket but bounced back to defeat Catholic University 14-1 in an elimination game, to clinch their spot in the Championship game.

Game 1: Elizabethtown 7, Susquehanna 5
Susquehanna got on the board first in the top half of the second inning. With one out, Lance Book doubled off the wall in center, before Chris Corrado worked a walk to put two runners on. After a pass ball, Evan Knapp hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Book, and advancing Corrado to third. With two gone in the inning, J.P. Yore ripped a single through the left side bringing in Corrado and giving SU a 2-0 lead.

Both pitching staffs settled in and were able to strand runners on base. Elizabethtown responded however with four runs in the fifth inning. After Susquehanna starter Teagan Duffie walked the bases loaded, back-to-back singles from Garrett Schwartzbeck and A.J. Bednar allowed four Blue Jay runners to come around and score, giving E-Town a 4-2 lead through five innings.

The Blue Jays extended their lead in the sixth after a leadoff walk and hit batsman from Dominic Yeager. With one away in the inning Ben Watson ripped a shot over the left center field wall to push the E-Town lead to 7-2.

The River Hawks responded in the seventh however as Sean McCulloch roped a one-out double down the right field line, before coming around to score on a Kris Morrow double down the left field line, cutting into the deficit, trailing 7-3.

Susquehanna did not go away quietly, loading the bases in the eighth inning, but were unable to push across any runs, stranding three on base. However, in the top of the ninth, Brock Veit led off the inning with a walk before advancing to third on an errant pick off attempt and scoring on a Kris Morrow double. Corrado followed that up with double down the left field line scoring Morrow. With two on and two out, Yore flew out to left center, as the River Hawks fell to Elizabethtown 7-5.

Duffie worked 4.2 innings, surrendering four runs on two hits, striking out four and walking seven. Yeager came on in relief with two outs in the fifth and worked through the sixth inning allowing three runs on two hits, walking one and hitting another. Vin Mariella pitched the final two frames of the game, allowing one hit and striking out two.

Susquehanna finished the contest with nine hits, with Morrow leading the way with four, finishing 4-for-5, two doubles, driving in two runs and scoring once himself. Corrado was 2-for-4 with an RBI double and scoring once, while McCulloch finished 1-for-4, scoring once, and stealing a base. With that steal, McCulloch is now one stolen base away from setting the Landmark Conference single season record.
 
Game 2: Susquehanna 14, Catholic 1
In the elimination game against Catholic, the River Hawks offense came to life early and often, providing more than enough run support for Tyler Rigot and Logan Bernier, who limited the potent Cardinals offense to just one run on six hits.

In the second inning Adam Schreck led off with a double to left center. With two outs Knapp then reached on an infield single to second base, advancing Schreck to third. With runners on the corners, Danny Fitzgerald balked, allowing for Schreck to score. Catholic attempted to tie the game in the home half of the inning by loading the bases, before River Hawk starter Tyler Rigot forced a foul pop out from Dante Pozzi and a Zach Burton line out to Michael Biuso at short.

Susquehanna added to their scoring twice in the third, fourth and fifth innings. In the third, McCulloch singled up the middle before advancing to second on a wild pitch and stealing third. Following a Veit line out, Morrow ripped a ball over the left field fence for a two-run home run, putting SU up 3-0.

In the fourth, Corrado started the rally after being hit by a pitch and stealing second. Yore advanced Corrado to third on a single to right field, before Corrado scored on a throwing error from Fitzgerald. Two batters later, after a Biuso foul out and a McCulloch walk, Veit singled to center field allowing for Yore to come around and score. Schreck once again led off the inning, this time reaching base via the walk, advancing to second after Book was hit by a pitch. Cody Bosak, who replaced Fitzgerald threw two wild pitches allowing Schreck to score and Book moving up to third. With Book on third, Knapp was intentionally walked, and stole second, leading to Book scoring on the throw, putting SU on top 7-0.

Looking to put away the Cardinals, Schreck led off the seventh with a single, before advancing to second on a Corrado walk. With two on and one away, Knapp roped a double down the left field line scoring both Schreck and Corrado. Tony Rossi came in to pinch hit for Yore and he reached on a walk, setting the stage for Biuso to smoke a triple into the left center field alley, scoring both Knapp and Rossi, extending the lead to 11-0. McCulloch was then hit by a pitch before three straight walks to Veit, Morrow, and Schreck, allowing two more runs to score.

Rigot turned in a gem on the mound to collect the win. Rigot went 6.1 innings, surrendering just four hits and one run, while striking out six and walking four. Bernier came on in relief in the seventh, finishing up the game, surrendering just two hits, and striking out two.

The River Hawks put the finishing touches on the win, drawing four walks in the ninth innings as Tyler Klus was walked allowing for Michael Mancuso to cross home, putting SU on top 14-1.

Offensively, every starter registered a hit as SU tallied 12 total hits in the game. The offense was led by Schreck who went 3-for-3 with two singles, a double, two walks, one RBI, and three runs scored. Knapp was the other River Hawk to tally multiple hits, as he went 2-for-4, with a single, a double, one walk, two RBIs and a run scored. McCulloch was once again a nuisance on the base path, as he finished the day 1-for-3 with two runs scored, and stealing two bases, the first of which set the Landmark Conference single season steals record.
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Up Next
The River Hawk baseball team will return to action in the Landmark Conference Tournament Championship Series, taking on the Elizabethtown, Sunday morning, with a first pitch scheduled for 11a.m