WINTER HAVEN, FL – The SUNYIT baseball team split a doubleheader with Moravian College on Wednesday during day three of its five-day spring trip to Winter Haven, FL, winning game one 6-5 in eight innings before dropping game two 3-2. The Wildcats are now 3-3 overall to begin the 2011 season.
Moravian took an early advantage during game one, scoring a run in each of the first two innings to go up 2-0, but SUNYIT would take the lead on three runs in the third after an RBI single by senior captain Dan Orza (Pleasant Valley, NY/Arlington) and two more scores on a Moravian fielding error. Moravian tied the game right back up in the top of the fourth with a run off of a double-steal, but the Wildcats would again answer with two runs on RBI singles from Orza and junior Anthony Surber (Dix Hills, NY/Half Hollow Hills).
An RBI double by Jake Schweitzer in the fifth put Moravian down one, and after a scoreless sixth inning for both teams, another RBI double by Kevin O'Keefe in the seventh tied the game and eventually sent the contest into extra innings after SUNYIT failed to score in the bottom of the seventh. The Wildcats would respond in the extra frame, though, holding Moravian scoreless in the top of the eighth and loading the bases in the bottom of the inning before walking off with a win on an RBI single by Surber.
Surber finished 3-for-5 at the plate while Orza was 1-for-2 with a run scored and a stolen base. Senior Kevin Burr (Oriskany, NY/Oriskany) hit a double and scored one run, while John LeClair (Mohawk, NY/Mohawk Central) scored two runs and stole a base. Sophomore Daniel Wiecek (Fort Plain, NY/Fort Plain) picked up the win on the mound, allowing two runs on six hits and striking out four batters in four innings of relief, while sophomore starter Michael Rose (Chatham, NY/Chatham) went four innings and allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits while striking out two.
O'Keefe finshed 2-for-3 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored for Moravian, while Jason Huber scored two runs and stole two bases. Chris Soltys had three strikeouts while allowing five runs (three earned) on seven hits in five innings of work.
Game two turned out to be another nail-biter. Moravian again struck first with a run in each of the first two innings, but SUNYIT answered with two runs in the top of the fourth on an RBI single from freshman Jim Sass (Kingston, NY/Kingston) and a sacrifice RBI from senior Lance Bull (Hudson Falls, NY/Hudson Falls) to tie the game at 2 all. Moravian took advantage of a two-out error with the bases loaded in the fifth to score a run and go up 3-2, and would hang on for the win by allowing just one hit to SUNYIT over the next two innings.
Sass finished 1-for-2 with one run scored, one walk drawn and a stolen base, while junior Michael McCrone (Whitney Point, NY/Whitney Point) hit a double, drew a walk and scored a run.
Mike Zubia went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a stolen base for Moravian, while Matthew Pezzato scored the game-winning run. Jason Jamula went five innings and struck out two batters to record the win and Kyle Longernecker also struck out two in two strong innings of relief to register the save.
The Wildcats will be back in action on Friday with a doubleheader against MCLA in the team's final matchup in Florida. Game one is scheduled to begin at 4:00 pm.