MERION STATION, Pa. – Cole Stetzar's three-run home run in the top of the 10th inning powered the Saint Joseph's baseball team to a 7-4 win over Penn in the quarterfinals of the Liberty Bell Classic at Smithson Field. The game was completed on Wednesday afternoon after being suspended for darkness on Tuesday.
Originally scheduled for Penn's Meiklejohn Stadium, the contest was moved to Smithson Field due to poor field conditions at the Quakers' home facility. The Hawks served as the visiting team.
Play resumed in the top of the 10th inning on Wednesday afternoon. Penn's Jacob Sadowitz retired pinch hitter Matt Cuppari before giving up back-to-back singles to Charlie Concannon and James McConnon. Two batters later, Stetzar went deep down the left field line to break the tie and put the Hawks ahead, 7-4.
Hayden Seig then came on and tossed an inning of perfect relief for his first save of the season.
Saint Joseph's (9-11) opened the scoring in the top of the first as Matt Maul led off the game with a single, stole second, moved to third on a groundout by Liam Bendo, and came home on a wild pitch. The Quakers equalized in the bottom of the frame, however, as Chris Adams scored on a single by Sean Phelan.
The Hawks went back in front in the third as Langston Livingston drew a walk before Maul followed with his first home run of the season to make it a 3-1 game.
McConnon then led off the top of the fourth with a single and eventually came around on a double by Kadar Namey to extend the lead.
Penn (5-14) got back within a run in the seventh. A double and two walks loaded the bases with one out for Adams, who drew another free pass to force home Matt McGeagh. Peter Matt then came in to score on a balk to make it a 4-3 game before Eric Sigovich retired the final two hitters of the inning to keep the Hawks on top.
In the ninth, however, an RBI single by Eduardo Malinowski left the game tied and runners on second and third with one away. After an intentional walk to load the bases, Ryan Kelly fanned Matt O'Neill before inducing a ground ball from Brandon Bean to send the game to extra innings, and send the teams home until Wednesday.
Kelly was credited with the win to improve to 1-0, while Sadowitz took the loss to fall to 0-1.
The Hawks will now meet Lafayette on Tuesday, April 3, at Smithson Field in the Liberty Bell Classic semifinals. The winner will meet either Delaware or Lehigh in the championship game at Citizens Bank Park on April 17.
Saint Joseph's will first visit La Salle for a three-game set beginning Thursday. First pitch at Hank DeVincent Field is set for 3:00 p.m.
