Behind a big home run and strong pitching down the stretch, the Muhlenberg baseball team came back to defeat Neumann, 5-3, and earn a doubleheader split.
 
Trailing 3-0 early in the second game, the Mules (6-8) began their comeback in the bottom of the second inning when junior Chris Grillo singled home junior Stephen Koester.
 
Junior Matt Riebesell doubled to start the Mules' next turn at-bat, and sophomore Billy Brittingham followed with a deep blast to right for his third home run of the season, tying the game at 3-3. Muhlenberg put its next two runners on base before sophomore Sam Arnold laid down a sacrifice bunt to set up runners on second and third.
 
Sophomore Brenden Weiss then hit a sharp grounder to second that allowed junior Kenny Fried to score the go-ahead run. Two innings later, Weiss drove home another run on a line drive single to left, making it 5-3.
 
Senior Timmy Pilrun settled in on the mound after the first two innings, allowing only two hits over his final four innings of work. He also started a crucial double play in the fourth inning to help preserve the Muhlenberg lead. Pilrun finished with five strikeouts in earning his first victory of the season.
 
Sophomore Matthew D'Ambrosia struck out two of his three batters faced to close out the game, earning his first career save.
 
Riebesell, Brittingham and Koester all had three hits on the day. Weiss (pictured above) finished the day with three RBIs, driving in Muhlenberg's only run in the first game. Freshman Robert Cappadona went 3-for-4 with a double in the first game as well.
 
Junior RJ Hennessey tossed a complete game in the early game, allowing only one earned run and matching his previous outing with nine strikeouts.