Baseball Walks Off the Creek
Playing its last game ever at Cedarcreek Field, the Muhlenberg baseball toppled Ursinus, 8-7 in 10 innings.
The Mules, who will be moving to renovated Bicentennial Park in 2025, have walked off the Bears in extra innings four straight years - in 10 innings in 2021, 2023 and 2024 and in 13 innings in 2022. The first three of those games took place at Coca-Cola Park.
Senior Ryan Riccio led off the bottom of the 10th with a single up the middle, his fourth hit of the game. After he was sacrificed to second by sophomore Mason Mehling, junior Brendan Hughes was walked intentionally to get to sophomore Thomas Pranzo, who foiled the strategy by lining a 1-1 pitch into the gap in left-center. Riccio (pictured above) scored without a throw to give Muhlenberg the win.
The Mules trailed 7-3 in the middle of the fifth but got back into the game thanks to strong relief pitching. Freshman Charlie Siper, junior Ethan Brochin and freshman Esteban Salazar combined to toss four scoreless innings in relief, allowing only one hit and no walks. Salazar worked a hitless 10th to earn his first career win.
Senior Nick Stannard hit a two-run pinch-single in the bottom of the fifth, and Muhlenberg tied the game on a pair of run-scoring wild pitches in the sixth.
Riccio's four-hit game was his second of the season; in his last six games he's had two four-hit games and two three-hit games, going 15-for-29 to raise his season average to .359.
Senior Ryan Friesen reached base in four plate appearances with a single and three walks.
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