McKeesport, PA. – As the Penn State Greater Allegheny Baseball Team’s (8-8, 3-3) regular season comes down to the final three weeks, the push for the Penn State University Athletic Conference playoffs is in full swing. They look to make the first step towards their sixth trip to the tournament in the last ten seasons when they take on Penn State Mont Alto (14-11, 5-1) in the series opener on Saturday starting at 2 p.m.
It was a hard-fought series last time out as PSUGA took on PSU-DuBois, but they took losses in all three games by scores of 6-2, 6-3, and 4-3. They had a lead in all three games but just couldn’t find a way to add on as they fell to 3-3 putting them in a tie for third place in the PSUAC West Division with Penn State Beaver.
In the finale of the three game series, PSUGA jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second when Brett Yuhas (Munhall, PA./Steel Valley HS) and Zack Craven (McKeesport, PA./McKeesport HS) each hit RBI singles to get the club ahead. DuBois responded with two of their own in the top of the third and another two-run inning in the fifth increased their lead to 4-2. PSUGA would have one last spark in the bottom of the fifth when Blake Flocker (McKeesport, PA./McKeesport HS) hit an RBI groundout, but that is all they could get falling 4-3.
Craven led the way for PSUGA going 2-2 with a walk and an RBI wrapping up a strong weekend for the senior that saw him go 6-7 and reach base in eight of his ten at bats against DuBois. Yuhas went 1-4 with an RBI while Brian Koglin (Fox Chapel, PA./Fox Chapel HS) added a 2-4 effort. Matt Givler (Coatesville, PA./Coatesville HS) got the start and went 6.2 innings of work giving up four runs, two earned, on eight hits while striking out two batters on the day.
PSUGA has now swept a series and been swept in their first two series of conference play placing them at 3-3 in the division. With only the top three teams from the division making the tournament, PSUGA’s final three series of the year are more important than ever on their quest to make the tournament.
Their first matchup is no easy task as they take on a PSU-Mont Alto team that has won five of their first six conference games. They most recently swept a non-conference match-up against Christendom College on Tuesday where they won by scores of 10-0 and 12-5. Game one saw Mont Alto score two or more runs in three of the first four innings on their way to the 10-0 shutout while game two saw them come back after being down 3-0 and 5-4 to pick up a 12-5 win. Jeremiah Younker led the way for Mont Alto finishing 4-8 with four RBI.
In 19 previous match-ups between the two teams, PSUGA has the advantage with a record of 12-7 against Mont Alto. Last season, PSUGA picked up the series win taking two of the three matchups including a 4-1 win on the final day of the regular season to make the playoffs. Former lion Adam Jacko led the way in that game going 1-4 with two RBI while Craven added a 1-4 day with one RBI.
First pitch for Saturday’s series opening doubleheader is scheduled for 2 p.m. followed by game two at approximately 4 p.m. The games will be played at the PSU-Mont Alto baseball fields located on campus.
