The University of Scranton baseball team split a doubleheader against Susquehanna University, earning an 8-1 victory in game one before falling, 6-5, in the nightcap on Sunday afternoon at Volpe Field in Scranton. The Royals have clinched a spot in the Landmark Conference Playoffs, but their seed remains unsettled heading into Wednesday's regular-season finale at Moravian.

The Basics 

• Game 1 Final Score: Scranton – 8, Susquehanna – 1 
• Game 2 Final Score: Susquehanna – 6, Scranton – 5 
• Records: Scranton (24-15, 13-10 Landmark); Susquehanna (24-14, 15-8 Landmark) 

• Win: John DeStefano (2-1), Loss: Ben Gearhart (6-1) 

• Susquehanna jumped out in front in the top of the first, scoring the game's first run on a sacrifice fly. 
• The Royals broke through in the bottom of the third inning with three runs. With Jared Cassella on second, Matthew Gannon delivered a game-tying RBI single to even the score at 1-1. Two batters later, Conor Campbell ripped a two-run triple to give Scranton a 3-1 advantage. 
• The Royals added another run in the bottom of the sixth, pushing one across on a fielder's choice. 
• Scranton starter John DeStefano settled in after surrendering the first-inning run and went on to toss six scoreless frames with nine strikeouts, giving the Royals a much-needed quality start. 
• After loading the bases in the bottom of the eighth, Scranton scored four runs without recording an RBI hit. Joey Granko and John Heitzman each drew bases-loaded walks to make it 6-1. Duece Rzucidlo was hit by a pitch, and Aidan Casey followed with a walk to force in two more runs and extend the lead to 8-1. 
• The Royals bullpen closed it out to secure the win. Ryan Boyd threw a scoreless eighth inning with two strikeouts, and Logan Mason finished off the game with a scoreless ninth as Scranton claimed the first game of the doubleheader, 8-1. 

Game Two 

• Win: Luke Goodwin (2-4); Loss: Nick Hernandez (3-3); Save: Austin Ozarowski (5) 

• The Royals scored twice in the bottom of the first inning against Evan Applegate to take an early lead. Gannon doubled with one out and came around to score on a double by Heitzman. Logan Mason then lined a double off the top of the left field wall to drive in Heitzman and give Scranton a 2-0 advantage. 
• Scranton tacked on a run in the bottom of the second inning. With runners on first and second and one out, the Royals executed a hit and run to perfection as Campbell ripped a single through the right side to score Jimmy Lundari and push the lead to 3-0. 
• Susquehanna broke through in the top of the third inning, chasing Matt Holgado from the game. A single and two walks loaded the bases, and consecutive bases-loaded walks forced in the River Hawks' first two runs, trimming Scranton's lead to one. 
• The Royals answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning, as Jimmy Lundari worked a bases-loaded walk to bring home their fourth run of the day. 
• Susquehanna pulled even in the fifth. Michael Gagliardi led off the inning with a single, and Paul Daly followed with a two-run homer to left field, knotting the score at 4-4. 
• The River Hawks went in front for the first time in the top of the seventh. After two hit by pitches and a walk loaded the bases with one out, Jaden Buechler ripped a two-run single through the right side to give Susquehanna its first lead of the day at 6-4. 
• Scranton pulled within one run in the bottom of the seventh. Gannon led off the frame with a single and one batter later, Heitzman drilled a ground rule double to put a pair of runners in scoring position for Mason, who drove in Gannon with a ground out. Scranton couldn't tie the game, stranding the tying run at third. 
• The Royals went down in order in the ninth, falling in game two as Susquehanna earned the win and the split of the double header.  

• The Royals will play in their regular season finale against Moravian on Wednesday, with first pitch set for 3:30 PM in Bethlehem, Pa.