SELINSGROVE, PA (May 7, 2024) – The Susquehanna baseball team kept their season going on Tuesday afternoon with a win in the first Landmark Conference Baseball Tournament Play In Game under the new format. The River Hawks earned the #4 seed in the regular season and hosted the #5  seed Drew for a spot in the double-elimination tournament this weekend to determine the Landmark Champions. After playing three closely fought games in the regular season, the River Hawks and Rangers provided another absolute classic contest, going to extra innings for the second time in 2024 and seeing SU once again claim a win in the bottom of the 11^th inning, winning 8-7.

In the early innings it looked like potential smooth sailing for the River Hawks as they ran out to a big lead. They scored five runs in the first two innings, teeing off on the Drew starter with six hits, including a pair of extra-base knocks in the bottom of the 2^nd with a one-out double by Michael Mancuso and Tony Rossi following later in the inning with a two-run home run to left center field, picking up his sixth home run of the year and putting SU firmly in the driver's seat.

But with both sides of the ball looking great as starter Tyler Rigot went two innings and struck out five hitters, Drew began to slowly work their way back. With Susquehanna employing a committee of their regular starters, Anthony Colucci and Aidan Martin combined to throw the next 5.2 innings, working their way through the Ranger hitters and they combined for another five strikeouts. However, buoyed by a three-RBI double in the 5^th and a two-run home run of their own in the 6^th, Drew was able to rattle off seven unanswered runs over four innings to take a 7-5 lead.

After three scoreless frames for the River Hawks, they returned to scoring in the bottom of the 6^th as they cut the deficit back to one. Michael Mancuso got the first of three hits on the day, hitting an RBI single to left field that scored Joe Healy, who had led off the inning with a double. A double play ended any further scoring for Susquehanna in the inning, but after Martin sat the Rangers down in order in the top of the 7^th, the River Hawks resumed their comeback in the bottom of the inning. Rossi and Jack Cahill led off with back-to-back doubles, then advancing to second and third on a well-placed sacrifice bunt by Dylan Heyduk. Healy came up clutch with a sacrifice fly to deep center to plate the tying run.

Vincent Mariella gave SU some incredible work on the mound in the final innings, entering to get the last out in the top of the 8^th and then striking out three in the top of the 9^th. However, the Drew pitching also kept SU off the board and the game went to extras. Each team went down in order in the 10^th inning, with Ryan Redmond entering the game to pitch for the River Hawks. He allowed just one baserunner in the top of the 11^th on a hit-by-pitch but struck out the next two batters to end the inning. All the drama culminated in the bottom of the 11^th, as Michael Mancuso led off with a single to put the winning run on base. A flyout to follow put an out on the board, but Mancuso was then able to get into scoring position on a wild pitch. With senior Michael Biuso at the plate and his classmate now in scoring position, Biuso once again came up with a clutch hit against Drew. Having hit a game-tying grand slam against the Rangers a few weeks ago, this time he walked it off with a single up the middle, allowing Mancuso to round third and slide in at home to score the winning run and punch SU's ticket to weekend tournament.

Biuso and Mancuso both had massive days, each getting three hits. Biuso had a pair of RBIs and a run scored, while Mancuso scored two runs and added an RBI. Rossi went 2 for 3 with the home run, scored three runs, had two RBIs, and also walked twice. The River Hawk pitching group also combined for a hefty 15 strikeouts.

Susquehanna will now join #1 Elizabethtown, #2 Catholic, and #3 Scranton as the four teams in the double-elimination tournament. Scranton will serve as the hosts for the weekend. Susquehanna will begin the tournament on Friday afternoon against Elizabethtown, taking on the Blue Jays at 3:30 pm. Catholic and Scranton will then play at 7 pm that evening, with each winner facing one another and the losers facing one another the next day.

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--RIVER HAWKS--