ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Errors proved the undoing of Muhlenberg College (11-7, 0-2 CC) against Gettysburg College (11-11, 2-0 CC) in the Centennial Conference opener as the visiting Bullets brought across the winning runs in the late innings for a clean sweep on Saturday afternoon.
 
Junior JR McCloskey (Huntington, N.Y./Chaminade) brought home the winning run with a two-out single in the seventh for a 6-5 win in the opening game, while classmate Kyle Miller (Montclair, N.J./Montclair) provided the heroics in the nightcap with a two-run single through the right side in the eighth inning to lift Gettysburg to a 9-9 victory.
 
The Bullets took advantage of Mule miscues in the opening inning of the first game. Sophomore Tristan Neels (San Diego, Calif./Francis W. Parker) reached base despite striking out thanks to a throwing error by the catcher. The second baseman committed an error on the very next ball put in play hit by senior Andrew Decker (Baltimore, Md./Towson), allowing Neels to score from second. Decker and freshman Jack Pistner (Ellicott City, Md./Centennial), who had singled, both scored on a double by sophomore David Preziuso (Middletown, Del./Caravel academy) to make it 3-0 in the first inning.
 
Gettysburg tacked on two more runs in the top of the third when senior Mark Seibert (Yardley, Pa./Holy Ghost Prep) laced his team-leading fourth triple of the season to right field with two outs to put the Bullets in front 5-1.
 
Senior Myles Burbank (Rye, N.Y./Rye) was cruising with one run allowed through four innings. After getting two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Burbank ran into trouble with back-to-back singles. The Mules continued to put the bat on the ball with two more base knocks driving in runs before a wild pitch scored another run. A double by Jake Braet tied the game and Muhlenberg was poised for more with the bases loaded.
 
Junior Ken Spadaccini (Cresskill, N.J./Cresskill) entered the game and put the final out on the board with a ground out to first base. Spadaccini remained on the mound for the remainder of the game, allowing just one more hit and striking out four.
 
Gettysburg cashed in on more defensive issues by the hosts in the seventh inning. Pistner reached on an error by the left fielder to start the frame and worked his way around the bases on a sacrifice and single before scoring on McCloskey's single to left-center for a 6-5 lead.
 
That was enough for Spadaccini, who retired the side in the eighth and worked around a hit batter in the ninth to close out the win.
 
Miller posted a trio of hits from the top of the lineup, while Pistner, Preziuso, Seibert, McCloskey, and senior Matt Muir (South Easton, Mass./Oliver Ames) each tallied two hits.
 
In game two, it was all Muhlenberg early as the hosts put up six runs in the opening two innings. Danny Monzo accounted for a pair of hits and three RBI, including a two-run single to make it 6-0.
 
After seeing the first nine batters go down in order, Gettysburg's bats came alive in a big way the second time through the lineup. The first four batters recorded hits in the fourth inning with Neels decking his first career homer to left field to bring in three runs.
 
The Mules led 7-3 when the long ball came into play again in the seventh inning. A walk and back-to-back fielder's choices set up Miller for a sacrifice fly. The very next batter, Muir, belted a two-run shot to left for his first career home run and sliced the lead down to 7-6. Muhlenberg picked up one more run in the bottom of the inning to pull in front 8-6.
 
Another error helped Gettysburg jump ahead in the eighth inning. Three consecutive hits loaded the bases and after an infield pop-up, the third baseman booted a ball hit by junior Preston Toothman (Orland, Fla./William R. Boone) that scored a run. The Mules nearly escaped the jam after McCloskey lined out to shortstop, but Miller came through in the clutch with a two-out, two-run single to put the Bullets on top 9-8.
 
Freshman Tyler Lizell (Naples, Fla./Upper Dublin (Fla.)) worked through some trouble in the ninth inning to close out the win. Muhlenberg put two runners on the bases with two outs following a hit-by-pitch, but Lizell got Jack Kent to hit a grounder to Decker at third base for the final out.
 
Lizell picked up the win after throwing 2.2 scoreless innings and allow two hits. Miller finished 3-for-4 with a run and three RBI, while Decker was 3-for-5 with a run. Muir finished 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI.
 
Gettysburg visits McDaniel College on Tuesday, April 5, at 3:30 p.m.