York, Pa. - Through a Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) double-header over Penn State York, the Penn State Greater Allegheny men's baseball team took a narrow 6-5 loss in game one to come back and silence the home team through a 4-0 game two triumph.
York managed to get on the board in the bottom of the first to put GA at a 1-0 disadvantage.
A huge top of the third inning began with a senior designated hitter John Nusser (Pittsburgh, Pa./Brashear) walk to first base. Sophomore right-fielder Sam Ligeros (Munhall, Pa./Steel Valley) reached on an error before freshman first baseman Jordan Graziano (Pittsburgh, Pa./Carrick) singled to center field to fill the bases. Freshman center fielder Dylan Finocchi (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) singled to center field to bring home Graziano, 1-1. Junior second baseman Adam Jacko (North Versailles, Pa./East Allegheny) doubled left field to score all three base runners, Greater Allegheny now ahead 4-1.
With a pitching change midway through the inning, the bottom half of the inning saw two runs off one hit to continue the GA lead, 4-3.
Freshman shortstop Brandon Koglin (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) reached first on an error before advancing to third on a groundout and wild pitch. Ligeros hit a sacrifice to score Koglin, Greater Allegheny now ahead 5-3.
With two runs and one error in the bottom of the inning, York managed to come from behind and take over the Lions with a 6-5 slide.
Ligeros and Graziano both put up hits but was not enough for Greater Allegheny to overcome, falling to York by a slim margin 6-5.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Nick Jeffers (Vinton, Ohio/River Valley) threw three and 2/3 innings, sitting down four of his 20 batters faced on strike-outs. Freshman righty Max Whiteman (Irwin, Pa./Norwin) saw 11 batters through his inning and 1/3 on the bump.
Jacko was a force in game one byu going 3-of-4 from the plate with three runs batted in. Graziano connected on 2-of-3 with one run scored himself. Ligeros managed to hit 1-of-2 with one run and one run batted in.
Now boiling from game one, Greater Allegheny was not messing around anymore.
Jacko started out the top of the sirest with a single to right field before he stole second. Freshman third baseman Zach Craven (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) walked to end the first at bat.
A one-two-three bottom of the inning led to a Koglin walk to get on base in the second.
The top of the third started out with a hammer of a double from Finocchi, who then proceeded to steal third. Jacko roped a single to right field to usher Finocchi home and marking the first run of game two, 1-0 GA.
Sophomore designated hitter Luke Padezan (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) ntoed a single in the fourth before the fifth put Greater Allegheny back on the board. Graziano dropped a double to the left field before Finocchi reached on an error, moving Graziano and Finocchi to scoring position. Jacko connected on a ground out to put the Lions ahead 2-0.
The sixth saw a junior catcher Francisco Del Rio (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico/Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy) single to center field before Nusser reached first on an error, Del Rio crossing home plate and lifting Greater Allegheny 3-0 over the home team.
Graziano walked as Finocchi followed him up with a fielder's choice to then steal second. Craven walked before Del Rio drilled a line drive double to left field, scoring Del Rio and polishing off York with a 4-0 shutout.
A force to be reckoned with, Graziano faced 24 batters through the six inning complete game, sitting down six on strikeouts while dishing out 61 total strikes on 93 pitches. The lefty also hit on the day, as he went 1-of-2 with one run scored himself.
Jacko finished off game two with 2-of-4 from the plate with two runs batted in while Del Rio noted 2-of-4 with one run scored and one RBI.
Greater Allegheny (5-15, 3-5 PSUAC) looks to host their final Penn State University Athletic Conference home contests this weekend, as both Brandywine and Schuylkill come to Woodland Hills High School. On Saturday, GA is set for a double-header with Brandywine, set for a 2 p.m. first pitch. Schuylkill is set for Sunday for a 12 p.m. first pitch.
