The University of Scranton's number two through four hitters drove in all seven of the host's runs on Wednesday as the Royals defeated visiting Muhlenberg 7-5 in non-conference baseball action at Volpe Field. Scranton lifts its record to 12-16 on the season with the win while the Mules slip to 18-16 this spring.
Senior Ian McIntosh (Newtown, Pa./LaSalle College H.S.) had a huge game at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a home run and three RBI. Junior Kevin Haag (Ossining, N.Y./Ossining/Bridgton Academy (Maine)) added a two-run home run and a double out of the three-hole while sophomore Connor Harding (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) knocked in a pair of runs out of the second spot in the lineup.
Senior reliever Bryan Carmon (Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon Central) pitched a 1-2-3 sixth inning to pick up his third win of the season while freshman Ryan Heiser (New Milford, N.J./Saint Joseph Regional) held the Mules to just one hit over three scoreless innings to close out the game and notch his first collegiate save.
Muhlenberg took a 3-0 lead with four hits and on Scranton error in the top of the second inning on Wednesday night, but the Royals used a four-run third to claim a 4-3 lead.
Junior Travis Adams (Clark, N.J./St. Joseph's Metuchen) scored Scranton's first run on an RBI groundout before Haag and McIntosh hit back-to-back home runs with two outs to give the hosts their first lead of the game. Haag's fourth dinger of the spring was a two-run shot over the left field fence that tied the game before McIntosh put the Royals ahead with a solo blast, his second of the season, over the left field wall.
The Mules knotted the game back up at 4-4 on an RBI single in the visitor's fourth and went ahead in the top of the fifth, 5-4, on a sacrifice fly.
McIntosh brought Scranton back level, 5-5, by driving in Harding with a single to right field in the home fifth before Adams came home on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Harding the following inning to give Scranton a 6-5 edge.
With Heiser holding Muhlenberg at bay, McIntosh drove in an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth with a base hit to center that plated sophomore Kevin Johnson (Whitehouse Station, N.J./Hunterdon Central).
That was more than enough for Heiser, who retired the final eight batters he faced as the Royals bullpen shutdown the Mules over the final four innings.
Adams and Johnson had two hits apiece for Scranton in the win as the Royals outhit Muhlenberg 12-9 for the game.
Scranton used seven pitchers on the evening with sophomore starter Matt Morrow (Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic) striking out two batters in a 1-2-3 first inning. Junior Bobby Hegarty (Wantagh, N.Y/Wantagh) also tossed a scoreless inning for the Royals pitching staff, which combined for eight strikeouts on the evening.
Scranton will be right back in action on Thursday with a non-conference game against Franklin & Marshall starting at 4 p.m. at Volpe Field.
--ROYALS--