SCRANTON, PA (March 16, 2024) – Playing their first games in Pennsylvania of the season, Susquehanna baseball began their Landmark Conference title defense at the site where they claimed the trophy last season, taking on Lycoming College, hosted by the University of Scranton. Playing the first two games of a three-game weekend series, the teams split the two contests, with SU winning the first 15-6 before falling 5-4 in the second game.

Game 1: Susquehanna 15, Lycoming 6

In what would prove to be a trend throughout the game, Susquehanna would score their first two runs of the day in the top of the 1^st after a Lycoming error. Sean McCulloch and Tyler Hmielewski began the game with back-to-back walks, then executing a double steal and seeing McCulloch come home to score on an error in the attempted throw out. Hmielewski then crossed the plate in the next at-bat, as Michael Biuso hit a sacrifice fly to right field. Lycoming would get one back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single before jumping out in front an inning later, scoring a pair of runs on four hits to make the score 3-2. Starter Ryan Redmond managed to prevent what could have been an even bigger inning for the Warriors, inducing a flyout to end the inning with the bases loaded.

After a scoreless 3^rd inning for both squads, SU reclaimed the lead in the top of the 4^th. Tony Rossi led off with a double before trading places with Dylan Heyduk to tie the game at three each. Heyduk eventually came home to score on an RBI groundout by Lance Book after reaching third base on a single by Jack Cahill. The River Hawks would expand on their lead in a big way in the top of the 5^th, racking up a six-run frame. It began with the team's third double of the day, this off the bat of Michael Mancuso. He scored on an RBI single by Hmielewski, making the score 5-3 and ending the day of the Lycoming starter after 4.1 innings of work. Rossi would greet the reliever with a triple, launching a hit to center field and picking up the RBI, scoring Hmielewski. Another crucial fielding error by Lycoming allowed Biuso to reach base and Rossi to come home to score.

After a walk by Heyduk, Cahill doubled to left field, scoring Biuso and moving Heyduk to third, still with just one out on the board. The River Hawks' fifth run came on a sacrifice fly from Lance Book, plating Heyduk. A walk to Thomas Romanelli gave SU runners on first and second, becoming bases loaded in the next at-bat after Mancuso was hit by a pitch. Batting for the second time in the inning, McCulloch worked a bases-loaded two-out walk to earn an RBI and make the score 10-3 before the Warriors were finally able to escape the inning.

Redmond would sit Lycoming down in order in the bottom of the inning, then getting further run support as Rossi scored the third of his four runs in the game after reaching base with a lead-off double. Lycoming would get a lifeline in the bottom of the 6^th as they scored three runs to make the score 11-6, but the River Hawks quelled the threat thanks to a stellar relief outing from Brice Gregory, who threw 4.0 innings while allowing just one walk and two hits while fanning seven batters, a career-high for the senior. Redmond earned his first win of the season with 5.0 innings of work, allowing five earned on eight hits but also tying a season-high with eight strikeouts.

The River Hawk offense was prolific both with the bats and with their eyes, picking up nine hits while also tallying 12 walks as a team. Rossi was a standout, going three for four with two doubles and a triple, four runs scored, two RBIs, and two walks. McCulloch and Heyduk both worked three walks, while Biuso led the team with three RBIs. SU would also steal six bases in the game, led by McCulloch with two.

Game 2: Lycoming 5, Susquehanna 4

After such prolific run scoring in game one, game two was muted in comparison for the River Hawks. They would once again tally nine hits as a team, but finished with seven runners left on base and were unable to tally any stolen bases. Lycoming jumped out to an early lead with three runs in the first two innings, but after having just one hit in the first two innings, Susquehanna would score three runs on three hits in the top of the 3^rd. Chris Orrego kicked things off with a double, advancing to third on a single by Mancuso. He would be gunned down at the plate on an attempted sacrifice bunt by McCulloch, but Rossi came up clutch with two on and two outs, launching his second home run of the season over the wall in left center field, picking up three RBIs and tying the game.

Both offenses had a pair of scoreless frames as the respective starters continued to limit scoring, but Lycoming reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fifth with a pair of runs. The score remained 5-3 through the 6^th and 7^th innings, but Rossi would once again catalyze the SU offense in the top of the 8^th, hitting a one-out double to center field. He then came home to score on a single down the right field line by Biuso. The chance to tie ultimately went unrealized though as the River Hawks finished the frame with two runners left on base.

Vincent Mariella would enter and keep the score at 5-4 in the bottom of the 8^th with a pair of strikeouts, giving Susquehanna another opportunity to tie or take the lead in the top of the 9^th. After two quick outs, McCulloch kept the game alive with an infield single, then advancing twice during the next at-bat on a wild pitch and a passed ball. But the tying run was left stranded 90 feet from home as a flyout ended the game.

Anthony Colucci was saddled with his first loss of the season after 5.0 innings, allowing four earned on nine hits and striking out two. Evan Applegate would combine with Mariella for the final three innings, allowing just two hits and striking out five between the two of them. Rossi finished the day 2 for 4, once again having only extra-base hits with a double and a home run, picking up three of SU's four RBIs and scoring two of the four runs. The junior is off to a torrid start at the plate through 14 games, hitting .509 with 15 runs scored, six doubles, two triples, two home runs, and 20 RBIs. He's also stolen 13 bases, sitting one behind McCulloch, who leads the conference with 14.

The two teams will conclude the series tomorrow with a rubber match at noon, with SU looking to take the series win against Lycoming in their inaugural season in the Landmark.

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--RIVER HAWKS--