WINCHESTER, VA (March 3, 2024) – Taking the field for the second time in as many days against #4 Shenandoah University, the Susquehanna baseball team finished their weekend trip 1-2 after a pair of losses against the hosting Hornets. After struggling for offense for much of the game, the River Hawks plated the tying run in the top of the 9^th to force extras but couldn't seal the deal as the hosts won on a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 10^th, finishing the game at 7-3.

The Shenandoah starter had SU's hitters in fits in the early innings, with a Tony Rossi single in the top of the 1^st inning being the River Hawks' only hit for the first five innings of the game. Meanwhile, the Hornet offense took the lead in the bottom of the 1^st on back-to-back doubles, then expanding the lead to three in the bottom of the 3^rd inning with a pair of runs on three hits and a walk, ending up stranding two runners in the frame. The lack of finishing touches on hitting rallies was a recurring theme for Shenandoah and ultimately allowed SU to stay within striking distance throughout the game, with the Hornets finishing the day with a whopping 13 runners left on base.

After four-straight hitless innings, Tyler Hmielewski got SU's second hit of the day with a one-out single up the middle in the top of the 6^th. Michael Biuso followed that up with a highlight play for the River Hawks, stepping into the box and launching the first pitch of the at bat nearly 390 feet over the wall in left center field and cutting the Hornets' lead down to one. The River Hawks would get a chance to add more runs with back-to-back two-out walks, but saw those runners left stranded on an inning-ending strikeout.

Meanwhile, after early struggles, starter Tyler Rigot settled down well and, combined with the relief efforts of Anthony Colucci and Vincent Mariella, held Shenandoah off the board for six-straight innings. Rigot threw 6.0 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out a pair of batters. The senior did well to induce weak contact, forcing nine flyouts and six groundouts. Colucci took over in the 7^th, allowing two hits but no runs before being relieved during the second at-bat of the 8^th inning by Mariella. Entering the game with a runner on second and no outs, he would strike out the batter, induce a ground out, and eventually a fly out after a hit-by-pitch and walk in between loaded the bases. Having kept the score at 3-2, Mariella's efforts were rewarded in the top of the 9^th as Michael Mancuso came home to score the tying run on a sacrifice fly by Dylan Heyduk.

Mariella worked out of a jam once again in the bottom of the 9^th, thwarting a potential walk-off opportunity for the Hornets and forcing extra innings. Susquehanna was unable to score in the top of the 10^th after the momentum from a lead-off walk by Sean McCulloch was stifled by a groundout double play in the next at-bat.

The pressure came immediately in the bottom of the 10^th as a Mariella fastball ran inside and hit the leadoff batter, then seeing the runner advance to second on a wild pitch during the second at-bat. That second hitter would ultimately walk, giving Shenandoah runners on first and second with no outs. It became second and third after another wild pitch, this from Teagan Duffie, who entered to try and escape the jam. SU would then elect to intentionally walk the third batter to load the bases with no outs, having potential force outs at every base. But ultimately it was taken out of the defense's hands, as Shenandoah's sophomore center fielder Jaime Padilla hit a line drive that carried all the way over the fence in right field.

Coming up close but not quite able to get a marquee win against the highly ranked Hornets, Susquehanna will return home to regroup and prepare for next weekend's final trip south. The team will head to Myrtle Beach for the second straight year to take part in the Cal Ripken Experience, playing four varsity contests along with three junior varsity games from Saturday, March 9 to Wednesday, March 13.

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--RIVER HAWKS--