Pittsburgh, Pa. - By scores of 7-2 and 13-3, the Penn State Greater Allegheny men's baseball team took two non-conference games over Westmoreland County Community College, Saturday afternoon.
Greater Allegheny was the first on the board in the bottom of the second inning. Junior catcher Troy Ambros (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./West Browar) tripled to center field as junior outfielder Gianmarco Concepcion (Bayamon, Puerto Rico/Mercyhurst North East) singled, batting home Ambros. Sophomore infielder Tommy Williams (Harrison City, Pa./Penn-Trafford) grounded out third to first, but was able to bat in Concepcion, put GA ahead of WCCC 2-0.
A quick top of the third inning led to a big one for Greater Allegheny. Junior infielder Aaron McGee (Harrison City, Pa./Penn-Trafford) singled through the right side and found himself on second after a passed ball. Sophomore outfielder Jose Pablo Bonilla (Coto Laurel, Puerto Rico/Academia Santa Maria) doubled to center field, ushering McGee home. Freshman catcher Francisco Del Rio (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico/Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy) singled and advanced to second on the throw, pushing Bonilla to notch another tally. Sophomore Bill Carter (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) came in to pinch run for Del Rio and was able to score off of an Ambros double down the left field line. Sophomore outfielder John Nusser (Pittsburgh, Pa./Brashear) singled to bat in Ambros home, Greater Allegheny now ahead 6-0.
Freshman infielder Brian Casiano (San Juan, Puerto Rico/International Baseball Academy) batted in Concepcion in the bottom of the fifth to earn the final tally for GA through the first seven innings of action. WCCC got on the board in the top of the sixth and managed to score two runs, finalizing the score with Greater Allegheny on top, 7-2.
Junior right-handed pitcher Eddie Emes (New Brighton, Pa./New Brighton) pitched six innings and earned his fifth win on the season, as he struck out four batters and let up two runs. Seeing 32 batters, Emes threw 59 strikes. Bonilla went 2-for-3 at the plate, scoring one run and batting in another. Concepcion and Ambros both went 2-for-3, scoring two runs apiece and each batting in another.
Greater Allegheny was first on the board again in game two, as Ambros singled up the middle to bring home both freshman infielder Joshua Arroyo (Toa Alta, Puerto Rico/Levittown Baptist Academy) and McGee. The next two innings went scoreless until Greater Allegheny dropped five more in the fourth inning.
Ambros singled through the right side, Concepcion was hit by pitch and sophomore outfielder Alex Dolce (Palm Bay, Fla./Brevard County) walked to load the bases. Williams was also hit by pitch, moving Ambros home. Casiano walked to first base, scoring Concepcion. Arroyo walked before Bonilla was hit by pitch, scoring both Dolce and Williams. Del Rio batted in the last run of the inning, as he hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Casiano.
WCCC grabbed three runs in the top of the fifth as Geary hammered a homer down the right field line, adding three runs to the WCCC mark. The top of the sixth inning saw six runs from Greater Allegheny, putting GA ahead of WCCC ten runs, 13-3. Ambros and Concepcion both singled, bringing Bonilla, Arroyo and Del Rio to score. Williams and Casiano both walked to first base, moving Ambros and Concepcion to home plate. McGee batted in the final run on the day, as he singled to push Dolce to tally the 13th run.
Junior right-handed pitcher Matt Klena (Glenshaw, Pa./Shaler) earned his fourth win on the mound, as he saw 24 batters through six innings, throwing 48 strikes and sitting down five batters on strike-outs. Ambros went 3-for-3 at the plate, scoring two runs himself and batting in four others.
Greater Allegheny, now 24-9, 14-0 PSUAC, looks forward to another Penn State University Athletic Conference match-up on Tuesday, as Penn State Beaver comes to Pullman Park in Butler, Pa. The double-header is set for a first pitch at 2 p.m.
