Washington, Pa. – The Penn State Greater Allegheny Baseball Team (0-1, 0-0) kicked off their 2018 season on Sunday with a matchup against Mercyhurst (5-0, 0-0). The offense was able to score nine runs on the day, but a seven-run bottom of the 2nd and a six-run bottom of the fourth by Mercyhurst did them in.
David West (Hempfield, Pa./Hempfield) got his first start in a PSUGA uniform to kick-off the season. After allowing just one run in the bottom of the first, he was tagged for seven second inning runs that put his team in a hole. Mercyhurst got an RBI double by Drew Delsignore and a bases clearing triple from Alex O’Donnel to open things up to an 8-0 lead.
Zach Schmader (South Park, Pa./South Park) came in to throw the third and the fourth and didn’t fare much better giving up nine runs on 10 hits while walking two batters in his two innings of work. Mercyhurst starting pitcher Jared Kapturasky held PSUGA off the board in his two innings of work and it wasn’t until the fifth inning that PSUGA got on the board.
Marcos Lopez (Caglas, Puerto Rico/Ramey) and Zach Ramfos (Harmony, Pa./Seneca Valley) walked to lead off the inning. After a fly-out, a ground-out, and another walk, Zach Pollack (Cecil, Pa./Cannon-McMillan) delivered the first of his two RBI on the day coming through with a bases loaded walk.
Their biggest offensive success came in the top of the 6th with two out when they strung together four straight two-out hits to score four in the inning and cut the lead to 18-5. Pollack capped off the string of hits with his second RBI of the day. PSUGA scored at least one run in each of the last five innings of play, but it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback.
Pollack and fellow senior Adam Jacko (North Versailles, Pa./East Allegheny) each finished the day going 2-4 and driving in two runs each. PSUGA also got contributions from Pedro Escobar (Aguadillo, Puerto Rico/Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy) Josh Arroyo (Tao Alto, Puerto Rico/Levvitown Baptist Academy), Caleb Smith (Irwin, Pa./Norwin), and Hunter Hughes (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) who each drove in a run.
PSUGA now heads to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina where they will spend a week playing at the Cal Ripken Baseball Experience. Their next game will be on Tuesday when they face off against Chatham at 12:30 p.m.
