GETTYSBURG, Pa. – After scoring just two runs through the first five innings, Gettysburg College (7-9) racked up 16 runs in its final three trips to the plate and raced past Hood College (7-12) 18-8 in a non-conference baseball game at Kirchhoff Field on Friday.
 
Gettysburg picked up its fourth win in five games thanks to a season high for runs, but it took a bit for the offense to get going. Hood jumped out to the lead initially on back-to-back one-out doubles by Alex Jenkins and Matthew Stout that put the visitors up 1-0.
 
Senior Mark Seibert (Yardley, Pa./Holy Ghost Prep) accounted for the Bullets' first run all by himself in the second inning. He hit a deep ball to the gap in right-center and easily made it to third base. The relay was dropped by the second baseman, allowing Seibert to make the dash home to tie the game. Gettysburg took a 2-1 lead thanks to another triple in the fourth inning. Freshman Jack Pistner (Ellicott City, Md./Centennial) hit a three-bagger over the centerfielder's head and came home on a deep infield single up the middle by junior Matthew Peipher (Lititz, Pa./Manheim Township).
 
Sophomore Patrick Clementi (King of Prussia, Pa./Devon Prep) pitched well through five innings before Hood managed to tie the game on a groundout in the sixth inning. The Bullets retaliated in the bottom of the inning with three runs, including an RBI triple by senior Andrew Decker (Baltimore, Md./Towson) and a run-scoring double by Seibert to take a 5-2 lead.
 
After the Blazers managed to trim the lead down to 5-4 with two runs in the seventh, Gettysburg unloaded for seven runs in the bottom of the frame. Decker once again cashed in with an extra-base hit, hitting a double to center field to score three runs. Junior JR McCloskey (Huntington, N.Y./Chaminade) added a two-run single through the left side and an RBI single by sophomore David Preziuso (Middletown, Del./Caravel Academy) put the Bullets in front 12-4.
 
Hood refused to go away quietly, adding three unearned runs in the top of the eighth. Freshman Tyler Lizell (Naples, Fla./Upper Dublin (Pa.)) entered the game with two outs and struck out the only batter he faced to close the inning.
 
The Bullets blew the game open with six more runs in their last at bat. The first six batters reached base via walks or hit-by-pitches, while Preziuso provided the inning's only hit with an RBI single to left field. Gettysburg took an insurmountable 18-7 lead into the ninth. Hood added one run in its final trip to the plate to close the scoring.
 
Gettysburg totaled 14 hits and Hood's pitching staff put more Bullets on the bases with a combination of 12 walks and hit-by-pitches. Decker finished 2-for-4 with three runs and four RBI, while Preziuso went 3-for-5 with one run and two RBI. Pistner and Seibert each posted a pair of hits and scored three runs.
 
Clementi pitched 5.1 innings and allowed two runs on five hits with three strikeouts. Senior Teo Torrado (New York, N.Y./Polytech Prep Country Day) earned the win after tossing 2.1 innings of relief and allowing two earned runs with two strikeouts.
 
Stout finished 3-for-3 with two RBBI and Tyler Schwarzman went 2-for-5 with two runs and one RBI for Hood.
 
Gettysburg hosts Mount Aloysius College for a doubleheader Saturday at noon.