ST. DAVIDS, Pa.- There is a story that once, when he saw asked what
his best pitch was, future hall of famer Greg Maddox deadpanned, "Strike
one." Eastern University sophomore Nick Moeltner pitched from ahead for
the entire day and earned a complete game 7-1 Freedom Conference win in
the opening game of a home doubleheader against King's College. The
Eagles (8-13-1, 4-7 Freedom) were unable to use the momentum from
Moeltner's masterpiece, and the fell behind early in and fell 5-2 in the
nightcap.
Perhaps most impressive in Moeltner's third complete
game win of the year was his efficiency. The young right-hander faced
only 26 hitters in the seven-inning win. He threw only 63 pitches and
did not walk a batter or allow a lead-off hitter to reach. King's picked
up their lone run on a two-out solo homer from Mike Fignar in the
fourth after the Eagles already had a five-run lead.
"Nick is
dialed in," said Eastern Head Coach Matt Midkiff, "he has great late
movement in the strike zone on his pitches. Hitters think they are
looking at a pitch they can drive, and they roll it to short." Moeltner
struck out five Monarchs and got some help from his defense as Derek
Ryan threw out a pair of bse-runners and André Butler made a great
diving catch in center field in the third inning.
The Eastern
offense hit its way on in the opener against Monarch starter Joe Dorbad.
They doubled to led off each of the first three innings. Ryan knocked
in Greg DeSarro in the second, and the Eagles put up a four-spot in the
third.
Devon Ziegenfuss dropped a double in the right-centerfield
gap to start the rally. Butler lined a single to right to double the
Eastern advantage and scored on a Scott Renauro single. DeSarro shot a
pitch past a drawn-in infield to build the Eastern lead to 5-0. That
would be all the support Moeltner would need to help the Eagles to their
fourth win in Freedom Conference play.
King's (7-15, 3-7 Freedom)
responded with strong pitching performance from Levi Tate in the second
game. While Chris Sweeney knocked in three runs with a homer in the
fourth and scored on a Fignar triple in the third, the Eagles broke up
the shutout on a pair of errors in the fourth and and Ryan broke up
Tate's no-hit bid with a solid single in the fifth.
Sweeney hit
his fifth homer of the year in the top of the seventh, and it looked as
though that run would matter as the Eagles scratched together a rally in
and had the bases loaded at the end of the game.
The two teams
will complete the series at King's tomorrow. Both teams likely need to
take the series to keep post-season hopes alive.
Game 1
Box Score
Game 2
Box Score
