New Kensington, Pa. - Behind freshman right-handed pitcher Matt Smith (North Versailles, Pa./East Allegheny), the Penn State Greater Allegheny men's baseball team got off to a 3-0 Penn State University Athletic Conference start with a 11-2 victory over Penn State New Kensington, Sunday afternoon.
Greater Allegheny came to bat in the top of the second inning, when three out of the four first batters singled to fill the bases. Junior second baseman Adam Jacko (North Versailles, Pa./East Allegheny) singled to right field to bat home senior outfielder Mark Hollis (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills). Sophomore third baseman Dylan Finocchi (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) singled to center field to score Jacko, freshman outfielder Blake Flocker (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) and junior shortstop Zachary Pollack (Cecil, Pa./Canon-McMillan), 4-0 GA.
Junior first baseman Joshua Arroyo (Toa Alta, Puerto Rico/Levittown Baptist Academy) singled to left field to score Finocchi and put the Lions ahead 5-0.
Jacko singled to right to score Flocker in the top of the third, 6-0.
Another Jacko single, this time to left field, resulted in two more Lion runs - this time coming off the sole of Flocker and Pollack.
Arroyo homered in the sixth to continue the Greater Allegheny swell.
Senior catcher Francisco Del Rio (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico/Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy) sacrifice flied out to left field to usher home both Jacko and Flocker to contribute to the GA swell over New Kensington, 11-0.
New Kensington put up two in the bottom of the seventh to put the final tally at a 11-2 Greater Allegheny decision.
Smith faced 23 batters over six innings, sitting down seven on strike-outs and allowing just three hits. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Max Whiteman (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin came in for the final ten batters over two innings, letting up just three hits himself.
Jacko went 5-of-6 with four RBI and two runs notched himself while Flocker went 4-for-4 with four runs added. Pollack hit 3-of-4 with two runs scored.
Greater Allegheny (5-6, 3-0 PSUAC) looks to host Mercyhurst, Tuesday afternoon, for a 11 a.m. first-pitch of the double-header.