Schyulkill Haven, Pa. - Through their second-half of a PSUAC weekend, the Penn State Greater Allegheny baseball team took Penn State Schyulkill for two games by a score of 7-5 and 8-1, improving their conference record to a perfect 10-0.
GA posted their first tally in the top of the first in game one. Senior shortstop Aaron McGee (Harrison City, Pa./Penn-Trafford) moved to second base on error. Senior catcher Troy Ambros (Pembroke Pines, Fla./West Broward) also reached on error to move McGee to post the first run of the game.
Schyulkill catapulted over Greater Allegheny in the bottom of the third, as they posted four runs to hold GA to a 4-1 lead. Another run scored on Schyulkill's side lead to a 5-1 home team advantage with Greater Allegheny coming up to bat in the top of the fifth.
Both senior designated hitter Matt Klena (Allison Park, Pa./Shaler Area) and junior third baseman Clay Groff (Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice) walked before sophomore center-fielder Francisco Del Rio (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico/Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy) singled to fill the bases. McGee reached on a fielder's choice as Groff got the out, Klena scoring. On an error by the catcher, Del Rio scored another run, Schyulkill still in the driver's seat, 5-3.
The top of the sixth brought a sophomore second baseman Adam Jacko (North Versailles, Pa./East Allegheny) reached first on an error before Klena walked and Del Rio singled to fill the bases. Groff singled to bat in Jacko to bring the score within one. Ambros reached first on an error as Del Rio scored alongside Klena. Groff followed up the two-run hit with a stolen home plate, giving GA the lead, 7-5.
The remainder of game one brought just one hit, as Greater Allegheny topped Schyulkill by a mark of 7-5. Freshman right-handed pitcher Luke Padezan (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) earned his third win on the mound as he pitched a little over three innings, as he saw 21 batters. Del Rio hit 2-for-2 with two runs tallied through the first battle. Groff went 1-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
Game two started with a quiet first inning before Greater Allegheny came up to the batter's box in the top of the second. Del Rio singled before freshman pinch runner Dylan Ernst (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) came in to run. Sophomore left-fielder Mark Hollis (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) walked before advancing to second as Ernst caught the out. Both Jacko and freshman right-fielder Terance Wroniak (Pittsburgh, Pa./Carrick) reached on a fielder's choice. As Groff was hit-by-pitch, McGee walked to push Jacko to score. Junior pinch runner John Nusser (Pittsburgh, Pa./Brashear) came in for McGee as Ambros singled, ushering both Groff and Wroniak home. Senior center-fielder Gianmarco Concepcion (Bayamon, Puerto Rico/Mercyhurst North East) singled to load the bases before sophomore first baseman Joshua Arroyo (Toa Alta, Puerto Rico/Levittown Baptist Academy) was hit-by-pitch, batting home Nusser and putting GA up 4-0.
McGee and the Greater Allegheny defense continued to sit Schyulkill down as they allowed just one hit through the first six innings of action in game two. The game remained scoreless until the seventh inning when GA came up to bat.
Jacko walked before Schyulkll decided to make a pitching chance. Three consecutive errors led to a bases loaded situation. Ambros singled to score both Groff and Wroniak. Concepcion singled to again fill the bases. Arroyo reached first on an error, scoring McGee. With a Hollis single, Ambros scored and put Greater Allegheny up 8-0 over their Penn State University Athletic Conference opposition.
With the first batter of the bottom of the seventh clobbering a homer-run to bat himself home, Schyulkill managed to put a run on the board before the contest expired, GA 8-1.
McGee obtained his fourth win on the mound, as the senior threw all seven innings. Through 26 batters, McGee allowed just three hits as he sat down nine on strike-outs. Concepcion went 3-of-4 as Ambros hit 2-for-3 with a set of runs batted in with one scored himself. Del Rio went 2-of-4 while Groff and Wroniak tallied two runs apiece.
With a record of 20-6, 10-0 PSUAC, the Penn State Greater Allegheny baseball team looks onward to traveling to Penn State Beaver on Wednesday for a double-header. The Penn State University Athletic Conference square-up is set for a 2 p.m. first pitch.
