Myrtle Beach, S.C. – Through day two of their 2015-16 spring break trip, the Penn State Greater Allegheny men's baseball team dropped two seven-inning contests over Olney Central College and Henry Ford College, Monday, by tallies of 11-1 and 15-7.
In their first game of the day, Greater Allegheny went up against Olney Central College. Olney managed three runs on two hits in the bottom of the first before GA came back up to bat. Freshman infielder Mark Pfleger (Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice) singled to the shortstop. Freshman right-handed pitcher Marcos Lopez (Gurabo, Puerto Rico/Ramey High) followed him up with a single as both runners were pushed to fill the bases with a sophomore outfielder Sam Ligeros (Munhall, Pa./Steel Valley) walk. Pfleger notched the lone Greater Allegheny run in to bring the game to a Olney 3-1 lead.
Pfleger, freshman infielder Dylan Finocchi (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) and senior infielder John Nusser (Pittsburgh, Pa./Brashear) all managed to get on base through the remainder of the contest while Olney swelled to an 11-1 lead over the Lions.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Luke Padezan (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) saw 22 batters through four innings, zipping 49 strikes on 86 pitches. Ligeros closed the game with a little over an inning pitched, facing 11 batters with 20 strikes.
Finocchi went 2-for-3 at the plate while Pfleger also went 2-for-3 with one run. Ligeros roped in the lone RBI through game one.
The men had a break before their next game under the lights at the Cal Ripken Experience against Henry Ford College. Junior outfielder Mark Hollis (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) walked before junior catcher Francisco Del Rio (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico/Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy) and Nusser filled the bases with a single apiece. Sophomore outfielder Dylan Ernst (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) singled to the short stop to bring in both Hollis and Del Rio to score, 2-0 GA.
Henry Ford got on the board on a fielder's choice, as Lopez allowed no hits in the bottom of the first, 2-1 GA. The top of the fourth brought a Hollis and Del Rio single as Finocchi hammered a hit to the third baseman, reaching on error and pushing Hollis to score, 3-1.
Top five continued for GA as Ernst walked to first and stole second, Ligeros coming in to run after an injury. Pfleger laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Ligeros before freshman shortstop Brandon Koglin (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) grounded out to bring Ligeros home, 4-1. The top six added two more runs for the Lions, starting with a sophomore second baseman Adam Jacko (North Versailles, Pa./East Allegheny) hit by pitch. Hollis singled to the pitcher before both Hollis and Jacko advanced on a passed ball. Nusser walked before Ligeros was hit by pitch, as all runners took a base off a wild pitch, Hollis marking the sixth run of the game for GA.
The bottom of the sixth inning proved too much for Greater Allegheny to get out alive. 12 runs through three different pitchers proved too much for the late night Lions, as they scurried up to a 15-6 landslide. The seventh inning brought a new pitcher for Henry Ford, as Koglin reached base on a hit by pitch, advancing to third on a wild pitch and a Jacko and Hollis walk. Del Rio slammed a sacrifice fly to right field to slide Koglin to score, 15-7.
Greater Allegheny ran out of time in game two under the lights, as the final game of the day closed I a 15-7 Henry Ford decision.
Hollis went 2-for-2 through game two, with three runs. Del Rio noted 2-for-4 from the plate, knocking in one run and tallying one himself. Ernst hit 1-of-1 with two runs batted in. GA managed six hits while Henry Ford denoted ten.
Lopez faced 24 batters through five innings as he zipped 46 strikes on 74 pitches. Finocchi and Jacko appeared on the mound as well, as the duo teamed up for 26 strikes on 36 pitches.
Greater Allegheny (0-3) will continue their spring break trip with a pair of games on Tuesday. 3 p.m. brings a contest against Lackawanna College and 6 p.m. brings University of Valley Forge.
