Baseball Drops Sunday Doubleheader at Susquehanna
SELINSGROVE, Pa. - The Stevenson University baseball team blew a seven-run lead in game one and a five-run lead in game two as the Mustangs dropped a non-conference doubleheader at Susquehanna Sunday at Bollinger Field, 10-9 and 15-10.
The Crusaders (24-14) scored a combined 21 runs over the final two innings of each game, nine first and 12 in the second, to win their sixth out of the last nine.
Six Mustang pitchers combined to allow 26 hits and 22 earned runs as they dropped their fifth-straight and ninth consecutive against non-conference opponents.
Sophomore Kyle Van Beek (Bel Air/John Carroll) went 5-for-9 with two doubles and four RBIs while senior Wade Keenan (Eldersburg/Liberty) was 4-for-7 with a three-run homer and four RBIs to lead Stevenson offensively.
Junior George Papuchis (Damascus/Good Counsel) also had four RBIs and a solo home run as the trio combined to total 12 of the team's 16 RBIs.
The Mustangs (17-24) took an 8-1 lead in the top of the sixth of game one after scoring three runs in the fifth and sixth, highlighted by a two-run single from Papuchis in the fifth and Keenan's third home run of the season in the sixth.
All of three of Keenan's three home runs have come in the team's last five games where he is hitting .389 with seven hits, seven RBIs and an .889 slugging percentage.
Susquehanna began its comeback with five runs in the sixth, three of which came on a bases clearing double by Erik Tuomisto. The last two runs were unearned as the Crusaders pulled within two.
Sophomore Dustin Tarlow (Finksburg/Westminster) added a sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh that scored Van Beek to increase the lead to three, but Susquehanna would score four in the bottom of the seventh, including the game-winner on a two out, walkoff single by Zack Brigman with the bases loaded.
Junior Brian Spinazzola (Baltimore/Boys Latin) suffered his second loss of the season after being responsible for the winning run. He was one of three Stevenson pitchers used in the inning and entered in relief of sophomore John Skrynecki (Ellicott City/Cardinal Gibbons) who gave up the first three runs on three hits.
Nine different players had a hit for the Mustangs, including two each from Van Beek, Keenan and Papuchis.
Spinazzola also took the loss in game two after the Mustangs built an 8-3 lead in the third before surrendering 12 runs in the fifth and sixth.
Tuomisto's three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth off of sophomore Chris Maienshein (Finksburg/Westminster) proved to be the game-winner after the Crusaders tied the game at 10-10. Tuomisto went 3-for-4 with five RBIs, a double and a home run.
Van Beek had the lone extra-base hit for Stevenson with a three-run double in the third. He finished the game 3-for-5 with four RBIs.
Stevenson will look for its first non-conference victory since a 5-0 win at Washington (Md.) on March 17 when it travels crosstown to Johns Hopkins on Monday. First pitch is at 3:30 p.m.
