Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
SCRANTON, Pa. – The University of Scranton baseball team (13-7, 13-7 Landmark) rallied for a victory in game two to complete the doubleheader sweep of the Juniata Eagles (10-8, 10-8 Landmark) in Landmark Conference action on Saturday afternoon at Volpe Field in Scranton.
Scranton scored two runs in the home half of the sixth and won game two by a score of 3-2 after taking game one, 5-1.
The Royals have now won six of seven and remain atop the Landmark standings along with Moravian (12-6).
Game One
The Royals struck for three runs in the bottom of the first and cruised to the 5-1 victory in game one of Saturday's doubleheader.
Junior Tyler Kirsten (Wallenpaupack, Pa./Wallenpaupack Area) opened the scoring with a two-run double and senior Kevin Johnson (Whitehouse Station, N.J./Hunterdon Central) followed with an RBI double of his own to give Scranton the early 3-0 lead. Sophomore Justin Pinckert (Somerville, N.J./Immaculata) delivered an RBI double of his own in the third inning and junior Jake Lisicky (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) drew a bases-loaded walk in the fourth to bring home the fifth and final run of the game.
On the mound, sophomore right-hander Hunter Ralston (Duryea, Pa./Pittston Area) earned his second win of the season for the Royals after giving up a run on five hits while walking three and fanning six in six innings of work. Junior left-hander Ryan Heiser (New Milford, N.J./Saint Joseph Regional) struck out the side in a perfect seventh inning to preserve the win.
Drew Westover was dealt the loss for Juniata after allowing four runs on three hits to go along with four walks and five strikeouts in three innings.
Five different players had hits in the game for the Royals and freshman Corey Zientek (Sugarloaf, Pa./Hazleton Area) added a stolen base and a run scored out of the leadoff spot.
Game Two
Juniata had runners at first and second with one away in the top of the seventh, but freshman right-hander George Sengos (Washington Twp., N.J./Westwood Regional) came on in relief and got a fly out and a strikeout to halt the comeback and preserve the 3-2 win for the Royals.
Scranton had taken the lead with two runs in the bottom of the sixth as a single and an error put two runners on before Lisicky tied the game with a sac fly and Pinckert knocked in the go-ahead run with an RBI double.
Chase Alessandroni took the loss for the Eagles after surrendering three runs (one earned) on five hits with a walk and a strikeout in six innings of work.
Sophomore right-hander Daniel Johnson (Whitehouse Station, N.J./Immaculata) gave up two runs (one earned) on four hits and fanned six in 6 1/3 IP to earn his fourth win of the year and Sengos got the final two outs to notch his first save.
Johnson's scoreless streak came to an end at 22 innings.
The game was scoreless through the first four innings before Sam Craig gave the Eagles a 2-0 lead with a two-run shot in the top of the fifth inning. In the home half of the frame, the Royals got one back as Kirsten singled and later scored on a sacrifice fly from freshman Jack Heineman (Abington, Pa./La Salle College).
Pinckert registered a multi-hit game for the Royals in the nightcap, going 2-3 with the afore-mentioned RBI double.
In between games, the senior class of Alex DeRosa (Hillsdale, N.J./Pascack Valley), Connor Harding (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal), Anthony Lambroia (East Northport, N.Y./Commack), Matthew Pinto (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) and Matt Morrow (Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic) were honored for their respective contributions to the program over the last four years.
--ROYALS--
