Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Freshman second baseman Mike Backus (Piscataway, N.J./Immaculata) was 7-for-9 with two RBI and four runs scored, including a school-record-tying five hits in game two, to lead Gettysburg to a doubleheader sweep of Muhlenberg in Centennial Conference (CC) action at Cedarcreek Field on Saturday afternoon. Gettysburg got a pair of complete-game efforts to take 8-3 and 11-3 wins. As a team, the Bullets hit .471 for the day and raised their season batting average 11 points to .347.

Gettysburg (18-5, 7-3 CC) sophomore right-hander Chris Liegel (Oak Ridge, N.J./Pope John XXIII), pitching for the first time in two weeks due to last Saturday's postponement, allowed three runs on six hits to win game one. He is now a conference-best 6-0. In the nightcap, sophomore Jeff McAndrew (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) also went the distance, scattering 12 hits over nine innings. Only one of the three runs he allowed was earned, and he picked up his first win of the season.

Backus, who was also a nuisance to the Mules on the base paths with three steals in three tries, was not the only Bullet to have a big day at the plate. Senior designated hitter Joe Bonyai (Torrington, Conn./Hotchkiss School) was 4-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored. All of his at bats came in game two however, as he drew three of his four walks and had a sacrifice fly in the opener. Sophomore shortstop Scott Vladyka (Stanhope, N.J./Lenape Valley Regional) was 5-for-7 with an RBI and scored twice. He also collected two of Gettysburg's seven doubles on the day.

Senior right fielder Chase Straub (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge), and senior third baseman Ben Carey (Colchester, Conn./St. Bernard) had four hits apiece. Straub knocked in three runs and scored three times, and Carey had two runs and two RBI. Sophomore catcher Pat Hanley (Buffalo, N.Y./Nichols School) had two hits and three RBI in the nightcap.

The Bullets roughed up Muhlenberg (7-16, 3-7 CC) freshman hurler Phil Cresta in game two for 10 earned runs on 16 hits. Prior to Saturday, he had allowed just nine earned runs in 30 innings this season. The Mules were also on a streak of three straight games with at least 15 runs scored and were batting .455 as a team in that stretch. On Saturday, they hit just .277.

The first inning of game one gave a small glimpse of what was to come throughout the day for the Bullet offense. Hitting from the leadoff spot for the first time in his career, Backus promptly singled and advanced to second base on an error. Carey singled, and Bonyai walked to load the bases for junior catcher Michael Donohue (Livingston, N.J./Livingston). Donohue knocked in Backus with a sacrifice fly, but Mules' senior righty Dave Andrew worked out of the jam.

The visitors went back to work in the second after Liegel set down Muhlenberg. Vladyka led off with a double followed by a walk to Straub. Senior left fielder Mark Campo (Arendtsville, Pa./Biglerville) followed with a single to load the bases. Junior center fielder Sean McGee (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck) plated a run with a sacrifice fly, and after another single loaded the bases, Carey drove in a pair with a single. Bonyai also picked up an RBI on a sacrifice fly in the inning to push the lead to 5-0.

Gettysburg scored three more in the top of the fourth inning, giving the team an 8-0 lead before Muhlenberg could respond with three in the bottom of the inning.

In game two, the Bullets left two on base in the first inning and allowed their hosts to plate a run in the bottom of the first before getting things rolling again.

Gettysburg went on to score in six of the last eight innings and was not retired in order in any inning. The Bullets tied the game on an RBI single from McGee in the top of the second. They then got the lead for good in their next turn on an RBI single by Straub and a two-run double by Hanley.

The Mules got two back in the bottom of the third to pull it within one at 4-3. Freshman third baseman Dan Fisher singled to drive in a run. He went to second on the throw and advanced to third on an error. Sophomore right fielder Chris Costa and senior designated hitter Pete Oris both scored on the play, but that would be all the offense for Muhlenberg. Fisher finished the day 3-for-7 with three RBI and a run scored.

Gettysburg made up for that half inning with two runs in the top of the fourth. Backus led off with a single and stole second. Carey and Bonyai walked to load the bases. Two batters later, Vladyka drove in Backus with a sacrifice fly, and a Straub double plated the second run. In the game, Backus was 5-for-6 with two RBI and two runs scored. His only at bat without a hit was in the top of the first when he reached on an error.

The Bullets added two runs each in the sixth and seventh innings and a single tally in the ninth.
Gettysburg will return to action on Sunday when the Bullets play host to Haverford in a 12:30 p.m. doubleheader at Kirchhoff Field.