ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. – Senior designated hitter Michael Umerich (Clarks Summit, Pa./Abington Heights) drove in six runs and six different University of Scranton baseball players had at least three hits in a 22-12 victory over Landmark Conference foe Elizabethtown on Wednesday afternoon at Boyd Memorial Stadium.

The Royals (7-8, 5-2 Landmark) scored six times in the third inning, seven times in the fourth and eight times in the fifth en route to the victory. Senior right fielder Zach Dignam (Bridgewater, N.J./Immaculata) finished with four hits, including a double, three runs scored and two RBIs. Freshman center fielder Tommy Trotter (Cranford, N.J.) had three hits, including a double, drove in four and scored three times.

Scranton also received three hits, including a double, three runs and two RBIs from freshman infielder Michael Ratner (Langhorne, Pa./The Pennington School), and three singles, two RBIs and a run from sophomore catcher Dan Hansen (Helena, Mont./Helena).

Umerich finished with three singles and three runs scored to go along with his career-high six RBIs. Junior left fielder Brian Healy (Middletown, N.J./Middletown South) also had a double, three RBIs and three runs scored.

Despite the offensive output, Scranton actually rallied from a sizable early deficit. After the teams traded runs in the first inning, Elizabethtown (11-8, 2-5 Landmark) scored five times in the bottom of the second to take a 6-1 lead. But the Royals answered with six in the top of the third, fueled by a two-run double by Healy and a two-run single by Umerich.

After stopping the Blue Jays in the bottom of the third, the Royals scored seven more in the fourth with the help of two-run singles by Umerich and Ratner, and a two-run double by Trotter. The Blue Jays cut the deficit to 14-8 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth, but the Royals took full control with eight runs in the fifth. Umerich and Trotter had two-run singles in the uprising.

The 35 total runs scored set a record for most combined runs in a Landmark Conference game.

Scranton and Elizabethtown will complete their three game series on Thursday with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. at Boyd Memorial Stadium.

--ROYALS--