Skip To Main Content

University of Scranton

The Official Athletics Site of The University of Scranton

Baseball

Baseball Sweeps Susquehanna to Clinch No. 1 Seed in Landmark Conference Tournament

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
Justin Pinckert John Zarnowski Thomas Plunkett

 

SCRANTON, Pa. – The University of Scranton baseball team (16-8, 16-8 Landmark) picked up a walk-off win in game one en route to a doubleheader sweep of the Susquehanna River Hawks (7-14, 7-11 Landmark) in the Royals' regular season finale on Tuesday afternoon at Volpe Field.

Scranton won game one by a score of 5-4 following a walk-off single from sophomore Justin Pinckert (Somerville, N.J./Immaculata) and took game two, 5-2.

With the sweep, the Royals have clinched the No. 1 seed in next week's Landmark Conference Tournament. This is the second time in program history that the Royals have been the No. 1 seed in the Landmark Tournament and the first time since 2015.

Game One

Pinckert hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth to score freshman Corey Zientek (Sugarloaf, Pa./Hazleton Area) from second base and the Royals picked up a 5-4 win in game one.

Zientek led off the inning with an infield single and stole second.

This came on the heels of Scranton escaping a bases loaded jam in the top of the ninth as junior southpaw Ryan Heiser (New Milford, N.J./Saint Joseph Regional) came on in relief and fanned Anthony Dombrowski to keep things tied at four.

Heiser picked up the win to even his record at 1-1, while Jake Ramezzana allowed a run on two hits in 1 1/3 IP and was dealt the loss for the River Hawks.

Susquehanna opened the scoring with a solo shot in the top of the third before the Royals answered with three runs in the home half of the inning as juniors Jake Lisicky (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) and Dan Crossan (Media, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) and senior Kevin Johnson (Whitehouse Station, N.J./Hunterdon Central) all came through with RBI singles.

The River Hawks took a 4-3 lead with solo runs in each of the next three innings, but Scranton once again battled back and Lisicky's two-out RBI single in the seventh tied things at four apiece.

Freshman southpaw Matthew Moreira (Union, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep) made his first career start for the Royals and gave up three runs on five hits while fanning four over 4 2/3 IP in a no-decision. Ryan Monroy gave up three runs on six hits to go along with three walks and three strikeouts in 2 1/3 IP for the River Hawks.

Junior right-hander Hunter Ralston (Duryea, Pa./Pittston Area), freshman lefty Michael Fox (Westfield, N.J./Union Catholic) and freshman right-hander George Sengos (Washington Twp., N.J./Westwood Regional) all turned in scoreless relief outings for Scranton.

Offensively, Crossan, Lisicky, Pinckert and senior Connor Harding (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) all had multi-hit games. Zientek added a single, run scored and three stolen bases.

Game Two

Freshman right-hander Thomas Plunkett (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck) allowed two runs on six hits to go along with one strikeout in six innings of work and the Royals captured a 5-2 victory in the nightcap.

Plunkett (2-0) turned in his second straight impressive outing against the River Hawks and sophomore righty Daniel Johnson (Whitehouse Station, N.J./Immaculata) struck out the side in a scoreless seventh to pick up his first save.

Susquehanna once again opened the scoring with a run in the top of the third before the Royals put up a three spot in the home half of the frame to take a 3-1 lead. Lisicky knocked in a run with a sac fly in the inning and freshman John Zarnowski (East Brunswick, N.J./St. Joseph's) plated a run via an RBI single. An inning later, junior Tyler Kirsten (Wallenpaupack, Pa./Wallenpaupack Area) came through with an RBI single of his own to extend the lead to 4-1.

Anthony Colucci was tagged with the loss for Susquehanna after surrendering three runs on three hits while walking five and fanning three in three innings.

Zarnowski compiled a season-high three hits and Kirsten was 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored to lead Scranton in the nightcap. The Royals also stole six bases in the game including two apiece from Kirsten and freshman Jack Heineman (Abington, Pa./La Salle College).

Stay tuned to athletics.scranton.edu for more information on the Landmark Conference Tournament as it becomes available.

--ROYALS--

 

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Michael Fox

#3 Michael Fox

P
Freshman
Connor Harding

#27 Connor Harding

OF
Senior
Kevin Johnson

#24 Kevin Johnson

OF
Senior
Tyler Kirsten

#5 Tyler Kirsten

IF
Junior
George Sengos

#47 George Sengos

P
Freshman
Dan Crossan

#46 Dan Crossan

IF
Graduate Student
Jack Heineman

#18 Jack Heineman

IF
Junior
Ryan Heiser

#22 Ryan Heiser

P
Graduate Student
Daniel Johnson

#28 Daniel Johnson

P
Senior
Jake Lisicky

#17 Jake Lisicky

UTIL
Graduate Student
Matthew Moreira

#20 Matthew Moreira

P
Junior
Justin Pinckert

#33 Justin Pinckert

IF/OF
Senior

Players Mentioned

Michael Fox

#3 Michael Fox

Freshman
P
Connor Harding

#27 Connor Harding

Senior
OF
Kevin Johnson

#24 Kevin Johnson

Senior
OF
Tyler Kirsten

#5 Tyler Kirsten

Junior
IF
George Sengos

#47 George Sengos

Freshman
P
Dan Crossan

#46 Dan Crossan

Graduate Student
IF
Jack Heineman

#18 Jack Heineman

Junior
IF
Ryan Heiser

#22 Ryan Heiser

Graduate Student
P
Daniel Johnson

#28 Daniel Johnson

Senior
P
Jake Lisicky

#17 Jake Lisicky

Graduate Student
UTIL
Matthew Moreira

#20 Matthew Moreira

Junior
P
Justin Pinckert

#33 Justin Pinckert

Senior
IF/OF
Skip Ad