Pittsburgh, Pa. - With big bats and clutch fielding, the Penn State Greater Allegheny men's baseball team took two Penn State University Athletic Conference wins from Penn State Schyulkill, Sunday afternoon, 10-0 and 13-3.
Greater Allegheny dumped five runs in the bottom of the first inning in game one, as senior infielder Adam Wehr (Orefield, Pa./Northwestern Lehigh) led the scoring drive off with a double to left center field, batting in freshman infielder Brian Casiano (San Juan, Puerto Rico/International Baseball Academy). Sophomore outfielder Jose Pablo Bonilla (Coto Laurel, Puerto Rico/Academia Santa Maria) registered his fifth homerun on the season as he brought home both Wehr and junior infielder Aaron McGee (Harrison City, Pa./Penn-Trafford) across home plate. Senior infielder Sam Weightman (Harrison City, Pa./Penn-Trafford) singled to left center as sophomore pinch runner Bill Carter (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport Area) crossed home plate for junior outfielder Gianmarco Concepcion (Bayamon, Puerto Rico/Mercyhurst North East).
In the bottom of the second inning, Bonilla singled to left field as he brought home McGee. Junior catcher Troy Ambros (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./West Browar) got on the home run train as he slammed a ball to the right center over the fence, batting in Bonilla.
The game went scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning, when sophomore infielder Tommy Williams (Harrison City, Pa./Penn-Trafford) singled up the middle, batting in sophomore pinch runner John Nusser (Pittsburgh, Pa./Brashear), who ran for Weightman. McGee wrapped up the scoring drive with a single to left field as freshman pinch runner Mark Hollis (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) crossed home plate for freshman Francisco Del Rio (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico/Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy), capping off the game by a score of 10-0 after five innings.
Senior right-handed pitcher Braedon Pennington (Punxsutawney, Pa./Mercyhurst) gained his fourth win on the mound in a Greater Allegheny jersey, as he faced 19 batters and sat down eight of those by strike-out. McGee went a perfect 2-for-2 from the plate, earning two runs and one run batted in. Bonilla went 2-for-3 at the plate as he scored two runs and batted in four runners.
Schyulkill got on the board in the first inning of game two as Kreide homered two runs in. Wehr was next up to hit a homer on the windy day, as the slugger homered to center field, batting in Casiano and tying the game at two. The game was tied at two until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Greater Allegheny came out swinging. Del Rio notched his first home run of the season, when he hammered one to left center field and brought home Concepcion. Casiano doubled to center field, advancing to third on the throw, scoring both Williams and freshman pinch runner Jefry Meja Mercedes (Carolina, Puerto Rico/St. Francis), who came in for Pennington.
McGee was next up to bat, as he singled to center field and brought home Casiano. Bonilla capped off the inning as he hammered a double down the left field line, scoring Nusser and McGee, GA ahead 11-2. Schyulkill managed to grab another run in the top of the sixth before Greater Allegheny was next up to hit. Del Rio batted in sophomore infielder Victor Monroig (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico/Juan Quirindongo), who pinch ran for Ambros. Hollis hammered a sacrifice fly to center field as he batted home Concepcion, giving Greater Allegheny not only a ten run advantage, but also their tenth conference win on the season.
Wehr went 3-for-4 at the plate, scoring one run and batting in three others. Pennington hit a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate to assist his teams efforts. Junior right-handed pitcher Matt Klena (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler) earned his third win on the season, as he pitched six innings with seven strike-outs.
Greater Allegheny, now 18-8, 10-0 PSUAC, takes a few days to rest as they are set to host Penn State Fayette at Consol Energy Park in Washington on Wednesday afternoon. The Penn State University Athletic Conference double header is set for a 2 p.m. first pitch.
