Baseball's Season Ends With 1-0 Loss to Stevenson in Commonwealth Conference Tournament

(box score)

Senior Nicholas Moeltner (Orefield, PA) pitched great against Stevenson for the second time this season, but Widener was saddled with a 1-0 season-ending loss in the Commonwealth Conference Tournament in West Lawn, PA.

Moeltner (3-6) simply was spectacular in closing his only season for the Pride (19-22), yielding just an unearned run and four hits over eight innings with four strikeouts to go with retiring the final 14 hitters he faced. In two games vs. Stevenson this season, he did not permit an earned run over 17 innings but lost both outings.

Moeltner closed the year with 36 strikeouts, three shutouts and just nine walks over 71 innings.

The last batter for the Mustangs (25-17) to reach base turned out to be the most important at-bat of the contest. Troy Miller had a leadoff single in the fourth inning and took second on Matt Bratter's sacrifice. Scott Merkel then hit a grounder off the glove of second baseman junior Kyle Summers (Mohnton, PA) for an error, allowing Miller to cross home.

The Pride's best chance to score did not come until the top of the ninth inning. Matt Scherer (Havertown, PA) drew a leadoff walk and was sacrificed to second by fellow sophomore Marc Noyalis (Dallas, PA). Junior Michael Riverso (Philadelphia, PA) then had a hard-hit ball back to pitcher Greg Myers, who got Scherer in a rundown for the second out. Senior Dennis Hocker (Coral Springs, FL) grounded out to end the contest.

Scherer and senior Matt Hone (Newtown, PA) each had a hit for the Pride, who faced both first team all-conference pitchers in this tournament. Widener on Thursday was handcuffed by Mike Weinhold from Alvernia, who struck out 14 over eight innings.

Myers (10-2) struck out eight over nine innings, permitting two hits and three walks.

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