KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (February 26, 2023) – The Susquehanna University baseball team wrapped up their weekend stay at the D3 Baseball Showcase at Atrium Health Park with an 11-inning, walk-off win Saturday against Berry, 10-9, and experiencing their first defeat Sunday against 18th-ranked Denison by a 10-7 score. The River Hawks return to Central Pennsylvania 5-1 before embarking again next weekend to Virginia with two games against SUNY Cortland Friday, Mar. 3 and Sunday, Mar. 5, with a matchup against SUNY Oswego in between on Saturday, Mar. 4.

SUSQUEHANNA 10, BERRY 9 (11 INNINGS)
The Vikings opened the game with four runs in the top of the first. The River Hawks got one back in the bottom of the frame when Lance Book brought home Kris Morrow on a groundout to short, only for Berry to regain a four-run advantage with a run in the third to lead 5-1.

Susquehanna got a spark in the bottom of the third with a pair of walks to open the frame, leading to a five-run inning. Brock Veit used a sacrifice fly to right to bring in Sean McCullough, followed by an RBI double from Tony Rossi to bring in Kris Morrow. Michael Mancuso then delivered an RBI single to bring in Book, then Rossi reached home to tie the game when J.P Yore reached first on an error to short. Thomas Romanelli put SU in front when he legged out a double play attempt to reach first on a fielder's choice to bring in Mancuso.

The lead didn't last long as Berry put up a three spot in the top of the fourth. The River Hawks delivered one run each in the fourth and fifth innings, starting with Book's RBI double to bring home McCullough and Yore scoring off a two-out error to short to make it 8-8. Berry went ahead again in the top of the ninth with an RBI single, but SU remained resilient when Yore drove an RBI double to right to send the game to extras tied at 9-9. With runners on first and second in the 11th with one out, Yore again provided the late-game heroics with a walk-off single for the win.

Yore batted 2-for-4 with one double and a pair of RBI's, while drawing one walk. Book batted 3-for-6 with one double and two RBI's. Rossi went 2-for-4 with one double and one RBI, while Mancuso was 2-for-6 with one RBI.

SU went five pitchers deep in the 11-inning win, with starter Tyler Rigot lasting 2-plus innings and giving up five earned runs off seven hits. Ryan Redmond went 5.1 innings, posting four strikeouts and allowing four earned runs off six hits. Vincent Mariella earned the win, throwing two hitless innings in the 10th and 11th with four strikeouts.

#18 DENISON 10, SUSQUEHANNA 7
SU settled in after a two-run bottom of the first from Denison, answering with a RBI double from Jack Cahill in the fourth to cut the lead to 2-1. The Big Red, however, countered with four runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to extend their lead, while the River Hawks posted two runs in the top of the fifth as the score read 10-3 after five. Susquehanna got a boost with four runs in the seventh thanks to J.P. Yore bringing in Tony Rossi on a fielder's choice, then a bases-clearing triple from Sean McCullough, though this proved to be the last offensive output from both sides.

The River Hawks combined for six multi-base hits, with Jack Cahill providing a pair of doubles in a 2-for-4 day with one RBI. Rossi finished 2-for-5 with one double and one RBI, while Michael Mancuso had one double in a 1-for-2 afternoon, earning one RBI and a pair of walks.

SU went five pitchers deep against the Big Red. Starter Teagan Duffie pitched 3.2 innings, posting one strikeout and allowing six hits, with all six of Denison's runs under his watch going down as unearned. Dominic Yeager finished the game for the River Hawks, posting three strikeouts and allowing just one hit in 2.1 innings of work.