Baseball Comes Up Short in 8-6 Slugfest with Apprentice

Vero Beach, Fl- Runs were a plenty this afternoon under a glaring sun, as Apprentice and Greater Allegheny (3-4) combined for 14 runs and 21 hits in an 8-6 victory for the Builders.

Through the first three innings, runs were scored seemingly at will: Apprentice opened the game with two in the top of the first, with a triple from senior right fielder Mike Visloski (McDonald, PA/West Allegheny) plating GA's first response in the home half of the inning.  Junior designated hitter Sam Weightman (Harrisson City, PA/Penn-Trafford) grounded out to first base, which scored Visloski, tying the game at 2-2.

Apprentice came right back with three runs in the second, regaining the lead at 5-2.  GA countered again, with senior second baseman Jason Paris' (Houston, PA/Chartiers Houston) sacrifice fly cutting the lead to 5-3.  Sophomore left fielder Zach Zeroski (Imperial, PA/West Allegheny) followed with an RBI single, bringing the Apprentice lead down to one.

Greater Allegheny dug into the deficit with a run in the fifth inning, after Visloski scored on a passed ball.  The Builders added an insurance run in the sixth, and held on for the 8-6 win.

Zeroski and Visloski each went 2-4 with an RBI, while Weightman, Paris, and junior first baseman Adam Wehr (Orefiled, PA/Northwestern Lehigh) each also knocked in a run.  Sophomore Aaron McGee (Harrisson City, PA/Penn-Trafford) surrendered six runs over two-plus innings of work, walking two, and striking out one. McGee (0-1) took the loss, with junior right-hander Eric Schell (Linesville, PA/Linesville) striking out four over his 4.1 innings of work. 

GA will look for revenge tomorrow afternoon in game one of their double-header as they will battle Apprentice at 3 PM. In game two, at 7 PM, they take on Miami-Hamilton.