By Andrew Snyder, Staff Writer
An impressive performance from junior infielder Alex Burman and freshman Ryan Monroy led the Susquehanna baseball team to a 17-0 victory over Juniata on Saturday, April 20 in Selinsgrove, Pa.
Alex Burman knocked in eight runs and Monroy pitched a complete-game shutout to lead the River Hawks.
Overall, Alex Burman went 6-6 with three extra base hits, including a three-run home run in the third inning.
A multitude of River Hawks produced at the plate. Junior infielder Anthony Dombrowski went 2-5 with three runs scored, while junior infielder Craig Roumes went 2-3 with a walk and an RBI double in the sixth inning.
On the mound, Monroy went all nine innings, compiling 13 strikeouts to dominate the Juniata lineup. He allowed only seven hits during the outing while walking only one batter to maintain his undefeated record of 4-0 for the season.
The River Hawks began the game with Dombroski hitting a leadoff single and scoring off of a sacrifice fly from senior infielder Ben Burman.
The River Hawks scored no runs in the second inning, but the third inning displayed another burst of momentum with a three-run home run from Alex Burman, who hit to the rightcenter gap to extend the River Hawk lead 4-0.
After a short dry spell at the plate with two scoreless innings, the River Hawks came out hot in the sixth inning. Junior outfielder Justin Miller drove in a run with a double to center, scoring sophomore outfielder Steve Lorenz.
After a sacrifice fly and another RBI double, Alex Burman rose to the occasion once again with single to left, advancing the Susquehanna lead 10-0. Lorenz then completed the outburst with an RBI single, giving Susquehanna an 11–0 lead.
In the seventh inning, Alex Burman again came up big, hitting a bases-clearing double to left with the bases loaded, furthering their lead to 14-0.
Susquehanna tacked on three more runs over the final two frames of offense before closing out a 17–0 victory over the Eagles.
Seventeen runs tied the record for the most runs Susquehanna has scored in any game this season. The River Hawks put together 18 hits on the day, including eight hits that were extra-base.
With that victory Susquehanna has won nine of their last ten games. The team then traveled to Reading, Pa. for a game against Albright on Wednesday, April 24, narrowly defeating the Lions 9–7.
Albright jumped out to a 1–0 lead in the first inning, but the River Hawks responded in a huge way in the third inning, adding five runs of their own to establish a 5–1 lead.
Albright, however, soon responded by scoring five runs in the fourth inning to reclaim the lead. That stretch was capped off by a grand slam.
The score remained tied until the sixth inning. The River Hawks broke the tie when junior outfielder Chris Corrado was driven in by freshman outfielder Evan Knapp.
Senior outfielder Nick Berger then connected on an RBI double and Alex Burman added an RBI of his own to increase Susquehanna’s lead.
The River Hawks remained strong on the mound to close out the game and earn a 9–7 non-conference victory.
Following the game, the River Hawks won 10 of 11 and are 15-5 in their last 20 games.
The team will next host Ithaca College for a doubleheader at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 27 in Selinsgrove. Following the two-game set against the Bombers, Susquehanna will have five games remaining on their regular season schedule before the Landmark Conference tournament begins. Those games include contests against Shenandoah, Keystone, York and Juniata.
The River Hawks currently sit atop the Landmark Conference with a 13-3 conference record. Moravian and Catholic trail behind the River Hawks.