Photos By Michael Lipscomb
By Thamoda Haputhanthri and Marquis Frias, Assistant Sports Editor
The baseball team opened its home slate with a Landmark Conference series against Lycoming over the weekend. The River Hawks took two of three from the Warriors, earning a second straight series win to open their conference schedule.
Game 1
On Saturday at Harold Bollinger Field, the River Hawks opened the series with a 9-5 win. The Warriors (10-9 overall, 2-2 Landmark) opened the scoring with four hits and two runs in the top of the 1st inning, but SU (11-7, 4-2) responded right away in the bottom half, tying the game up on a 2-RBI single by designated hitter Jack Cahill.
“I was impressed with our ability to come back after the top of the first inning in the first game, down early two nothing and turned around and tied it,” SU coach Denny Bowers said.
The River Hawks jumped into the lead in their next at bats, scoring three runs on a double by Sam Martucci and a groundout by Michael Gagliardi. The Warriors scored two of their own in the 3rd, but SU then scored four unanswered runs on RBI hits by Dylan Heyduk and Lucas Zachesky, as well as groundouts by Gagliardi and Jaden Buechler.
Lycoming scored one run in the 6th inning, but SU walked away with the win. Evan Applegate got the start for SU, pitching into the fifth inning, allowing four runs. Zach Plank pitched the rest of the game out of the pen, earning the win while allowing only one score.
-Thamoda Haputhantri
Game 2
The momentum from the first game carried right into the second as SU scored 11 in the first three innings on the way to a 12-2 mercy-rule win in seven innings.
Jack Greco pitched the entire game for SU, earning his fourth win of the season. He allowed two runs, both of which crossed the plate in the 5th inning. Greco struck out seven while walking none.
All-American first baseman Tony Rossi walked the game off with a left-field single, scoring Zachesky to trigger the run rule. Rossi and Zachesky, along with Gagliardi, all recorded multiple hits and RBIs. Heyduk also reached base three times with two walks and a single.
“I think it’s important, especially at home to take care of business,” Bowers said. “From where we started at the beginning of the year to what we’re doing now, I am really happy with the guys and proud of what they’ve been able to do.”.
-Thamoda Haputhantri
Game 3
The Sunday matinee didn’t go SU’s way, dropping a 5-3 decision to the Warriors.
Early on, defense was the name of the game. Through the first three innings, both teams didn’t allow a single run. Making his first start in his hometown, SU pitcher Ben Gearhart had three strikeouts and allowed only one hit in the first three innings, maintaining a dominant presence over the plate early on. However, Lycoming would draw first blood with a 2-run 4th inning, featuring an Eric MacCluen double to center field that scored Danny DeLucas.
Lycoming then had two more single-run frames in the 5th and 6th to stretch the lead to 4-0. In the 6th innng, SU got on the board when Rossi crushed a ball that went over the left center wall. The Warriors would answer back with another score in the 8th. With the score now at 5-1, a big play was needed for Susquehanna to have a chance to attack at the bottom of the ninth, and that is exactly what they would found after Martucci doubled to right field and scored both Gagliardi and Buechler to make it a 5-3 ballgame.
From there, however, Lycoming would shut out Susquehanna in the bottom of the 9th and win the game. Lycoming’s A.J. Llorente earned his first win of the year, while Grayson Rinker picked up his fourth save of the year.
“When you get two games to start the weekend, you feel pretty good,” Bowers said. “But at the end of the day, the other team wants to win, too.
“[Lorente] had us unbalanced, and they just played better than us today.”
-Marquis Frias
The River Hawks will continue the homestretch at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday against Juniata before a weekend series against Scranton.
