Mont Alto, Pa. - The Penn State Greater Allegheny men's baseball team dropped a pair of Penn State University Athletic Conference battles to adversary, Penn State Mont Alto, Sunday afternoon, by margins of 11-2 and 4-3.
In game one, Mont Alto managed to post four runs within the first three innings of action, 3-0 MA.
Junior catcher Francisco Del Rio (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico/Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy) and freshman shortstop Brandon Koglin (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) both singled to get on base in the second. Junior outfielder Mark Hollis (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) singled in the fifth before Mont Alto racked up the runs in the bottom of the inning.
Greater Allegheny now behind 9-0, freshman first baseman Jordan Graziano (Pittsburgh, Pa./Carrick) doubled before freshman center fielder Dylan Finocchi (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) was hit-by-pitch. Junior second baseman Adam Jacko (North Versailles, Pa./East Allegheny) reached first on a fielder's choice before freshman third baseman Zach Craven (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) singled to bat home both Graziano and Jacko, 9-2.
Mont Alto barked back with an additional two more runs in the bottom of the sixth. A senior designated hitter John Nusser (Pittsburgh, Pa./Brashear) walk was not enough in the top of the seventh, as Greater Allegheny fell to Mont Alto, 11-2.
Graziano hit 1-of-2 with one run as four others connected the bat and ball. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Luke Padezan (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth) threw for 4 2/3 inning as freshman right-handed pitcher Max Whiteman (Irwin, Pa./Norwin) saw 1 1/3 innings action.
Hot after game one, Greater Allegheny came out of the gate with a vengence. Finocchi singled before he stole second base. Finocchi then advanced to third on a ground-out before Del Rio doubled to bring the base runner home, GA 1-0.
Mont Alto homered in the bottom of the third to tie the game at one after a few quick outings on both sides of the ball.
Hollis singled in the top of the fourth before the bottom of the inning brought another MA run, 2-1 home team.
Sophomore outfielder Sam Ligeros (Munhall, Pa./Steel Valley) was walked in the top of the fifth as the second half of the inning saw two more Mont Alto runs on zero hits, 4-1.
The top of the sixth brought a Jacko walk before he stole second and advanced to third on a ground out. Koglin also walked to base before he stole second and Jacko reached home on a passed ball, 4-2 home team.
The final outing for the GA offense came in the top of the seventh, as Ligeros led off with a single before he and Graziano took two bases off errors in the field. Jacko singled to bat Ligeros to put Greater Allegheny just behind Mont Alto, 4-3, but time was not on the Lions side, as the final two outs came quickly.
Jacko and Ligeros both his 1-of-2, scoring one run each. Finocchi, Del Rio and Hollis all connected with the bat to get on base through game two.
Junior right-handed pitcher Dan Daly (Glassport, Pa./South Allegheny) pitched a six-inning complete game, as the righty faced 26 batters, sitting four of them down on strike-out.
Greater Allegheny (4-14, 2-4 PSUAC) look onward to Friday, as the men travel to Penn State York for another set of Penn State University Athletic Conference contests. First pitch of game one is set for 2 p.m.
