Close Falls One Out Short of No-Hitter in 6-0 Victory
Junior pitcher Brendan Close of the Moravian College baseball team came one out from his first collegiate no-hitter, and he struck out a school record 16 batters to lead the Greyhounds to a 6-0 Landmark Conference win over The University of Scranton Saturday at Gillespie Field.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
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0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
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1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | X | 6 | 14 | 0 |
Junior pitcher Brendan Close of the Moravian College baseball team came one out from his first collegiate no-hitter, and he struck out a school record 16 batters to lead the Greyhounds to a 6-0 Landmark Conference win over The University of Scranton Saturday at Gillespie Field.
Close is now 7-0 this season, tying the single season school record for victories, and it was his third shutout of the season, also tying the school mark. He allowed a walk in the seventh inning of the game, just his fourth walk allowed in 51 innings this year. Close is now 19-3 in his career with six shutouts and 203 strikeouts, all school records.
Moravian, which has now won 16 straight home games against Landmark Conference opponents, would give Close all the offense he needed in the bottom of the first inning. Junior shortstop Dave Zubia led off with a walk and he scored on an RBI single from senior outfielder Mike Zubia.
The Greyhounds added a run in the bottom of the third inning on an RBI single by senior designated hitter Jacob Millen.
Moravian pushed the lead to 4-0 with two runs in the bottom half of the fifth when senior third baseman Jon Baltz connected on a two-RBI double. The Greyhounds added a run in the sixth inning on another RBI single by Mike Zubia.
The Greyhounds finished the scoring with a run in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI single from senior designated hitter Matt Kensecki. Moravian celebrated Senior Day before the game, and all seven seniors on the roster had a hit in the game.
Scranton senior outfielder Chris Stallone broke up Close's no-hit bid with an infield single to shortstop in the ninth inning.
Moravian had a 14-1 edge in hits in the game with Mike Zubia going three-for-four with two RBIs. Junior first baseman Kevin O'Keefe was three-for-five for the Greyhounds with three runs scored.
Sophomore Robert Della Polla started on the mound for Scranton, allowing four runs, two earned, on seven hits and two walks while striking out six batters. Sophomore Ryan Eden tossed the other three innings, giving up two runs on seven hits and a walk.
