Pittsburgh, Pa. - Through low temperatures and brutal wind, the Penn State Greater Allegheny men's baseball team earned themselves two-five inning victories, 13-0 and 11-1, in their first Penn State University Athletic Conference contests as Penn State Wilkes-Barre came to Woodland Hills High School, Sunday afternoon.
Junior right-handed pitcher Eddie Emes (New Brighton, Pa./New Brighton) threw a perfect top of the first, as the first three batters sat down. Junior infielder Aaron McGee (Harrison City, Pa./Penn-Trafford) doubled to centerfield to start the first inning for the Greater Allegheny Lions. Freshman catcher Francisco Del Rio (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico/Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy) hit a sacrifice fly, bringing home McGee, GA 1-0. Sophomore outfielder Jose Pablo Bonilla (Coto Laurel, Puerto Rico/Academia Santa Maria) singled to left center as senior infielder Sam Weightman (Harrison City, Pa./Penn-Trafford) was hit by pitch and junior catcher Troy Ambros (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./West Browar) walked, loading the bases for Greater Allegheny. Freshman Jefry Meja Mercedes (Carolina, Puerto Rico/St. Francis) came in to pinch run for Weightman before senior outfielder Braedon Pennington (Punxsutawney, Pa./Mercyhurst) walked to bring home Bonilla. Freshman infielder Joshua Arroyo (Toa Alta, Puerto Rico/Levittown Baptist Academy) was also hit by pitch, bringing home Mercedes. Greater Allegheny closed the first leading 3-0.
The top of the second saw one Wilkes-Barre hit before Greater Allegheny went on another powerful run. McGee, Bonilla and junior infielder Gianmarco Concepcion (Bayamon, Puerto Rico/Mercyhurst Northeast) loaded the bases before Weightman was hit by pitch, sending McGee to home plate. Ambros was next up, as he singled to left center, bringing home Concepcion. Arroyo singled to left field, bringing home both Ambros and Weightman. Concepcion tripled to right field, sending McGee and Arroyo across home plate. Bonilla then singled to left field, sending home Concepcion, closing the second inning with Greater Allegheny superior 12-0. Another quick 1-2-3 inning for Wilkes-Barre sent Greater Allegheny back up to bat. GA managed hits to send their final run across the bag as freshman outfielder Mark Hollis (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) notched the 13th and final run.
The two teams rode out the final few innings scoreless, as Greater Allegheny went on to overtake Penn State Wilkes-Barre, 13-0. Concepcion finished the game by going 3-for-4, scoring two runs alongside batting in three. Bonilla went 2-for-2, accomplishing two runs and one run batted in. Arroyo also went 2-for-2, tallying one run and three runs batted in. Ambros accompanied his teammates by going 2-for-2, adding one run and two runs batted in. McGee also had two hits off of his two at bat's, dumping three runs on the WB defense. Emes obtained his third win on the bump of the season, as he allowed just three hits through five innings.
Quick outings on both sides of the ball until Greater Allegheny made themselves heard in the bottom of the second inning. Bonilla slammed the seams off of a ball hit to right centerfield, earning his team the first run of the game, 1-0. Greater Allegheny held Wilkes-Barre through the top of the third before GA went at it again. Both sophomore outfielder Alex Dolce (Palm Bay, Fla./Brevard County) and Concepcion walked to open up the inning. McGee walked to load the bases, bringing up Del Rio, who singled to right field, bringing home Dolce. Sophomore infielder Bill Carter (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) came in to pinch run for Del Rio before Bonilla reached first on an error by the shortstop, earning an RBI as Dolce crossed home. Ambros walked to bring home McGee followed by sophomore infielder Jonathan Reyes Cartagena (San Juan, Puerto Rico/International Baseball Academy) reaching first on an error by third base down the left field line as Bonilla and Ambros scored, GA up 6-0 heading into the fourth.
Wilkes-Barre sat down one, two, three as Greater Allegheny came back up to bat. Two quick outs surfaced before Del Rio singled to left center and Carter to pinch run. Bonilla singled to left center before both runners stole the next base. Carter ended up bringing home a run due to an error by the third baseman, heading into the fifth inning ahead, 7-0. Wilkes-Barre managed a run off of an error by right field, posting an unearned run, 7-1.
Ambros pounded a double to right center field before he would advance to third base on a passed ball. Reyes doubled down the right field line, earning a RBI as Ambros scored. Dolce walked before both he and Reyes move ahead on a wild pitch. Sophomore infielder Tommy Williams (Harrison City, Pa./Penn-Trafford) bunted to gain a single, advancing Dolce to third and welcoming home Reyes. Williams stole second just before Concepcion singled to right center, sending Williams and Dolce home, capping off the game, GA winning 11-1.
Junior right-handed pitcher Matt Klena (Glenshaw, Pa./Shaler) earned his third win of the seaon as Greater Allegheny took their tenth win of the season as well as the second conference win of the season. Del Rio managed to go 2-for-3 as well as hitting one run home. Bonilla also went 2-for-3, but the sophomore crossed home twice as he sent two runs home. Reyes finished the game by going 1-for-3, as he added one run and hit in 3 RBIs.
The Penn State Greater Allegheny baseball team looks onward to a warmer day, as Penn College comes to Consol Energy Park in Washington, Pa., Monday morning, for another PSUAC double-header. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
