Butler, PA. – The Penn State Greater Allegheny Baseball team (5-5, 0-0) took on first-year program Wilson College (2-0, 0-0) on Sunday and fell in doubleheader action losing the first game 7-4 and following it up with a 6-4 loss in the second game. It was the team’s final non-conference tune-up before the start of Penn State University Athletic Conference play next week.
It was PSUGA who would start with all the momentum in game one after Matt Givler (Coatesville, PA./Coatesville HS) threw a three pitch inning to start the game. Dylan Ernst would get things going with the bases loaded and no outs grounding a ball past the second baseman scoring Jordan Williams (McKeesport, PA./McKeesport HS) and Brett Yuhas (Munhall, PA./Steel Valley) to get PSUGA out to a 2-0 lead. Two batters later, a wild pitch would bring home Brian Koglin (Fox Chapel, PA./Fox Chapel HS) and PSUGA had a 3-0 lead after one.
However, the lead was short lived as Wilson College put up a four spot in the top of the second and PSUGA would find themselves behind 4-3. Yuhas would quickly tie the game back up in the bottom half of the second brining home Marcos Lopez (Caglas, Puerto Rico/Ramey HS) and making it a 4-4 game.
After that, four Wilson College pitchers would combine to keep PSUGA off the board over the final five innings of play. The Phoenix would take the lead with a two run top of the fourth and secured the win in the top of the fifth when Nick Quinn looped a ball into right field giving the Phoenix a 7-4 advantage, which they would eventually hold onto for the win.
Givler lasted four inning giving up six runs, one earned, on seven hits while striking out one batter. It was not the cleanest game for PSUGA as they committed four errors in the field all, during the second inning, that gave Wilson College the opening for their four-run rally. Yuhas and Ernst led the offense in game one each going 2-4 with Ernst driving in 2 RBI while Yuhas had 1 RBI.
It would be Wilson College that saw the fast start in game two taking a 2-0 lead early on two RBI singles. PSUGA would take the lead in the bottom of the third after the first two batters of the inning reached bringing up Yuhas. He would promptly line the ball back up the middle bringing home Randy Berroa (Harlem, NY./ Thomas Norman HS) and Alex Fudge (Donalsonville, GA./Seminole County HS) tying the game at 2-2. Yuhas would then give PSUGA the lead stealing home before teammate Koglin was picked off at first to give PSUGA a 3-2 lead.
But once again, Wilson College had a response scoring two in the top of the fourth and one in the top of the fifth to extend their lead to 5-3. PSUGA would make it a one run game when Williams grounded out to third bringing home Berroa, but a big insurance run for the Phoenix in the top of the seventh sealed the deal and gave them a 6-4 victory.
Lopez made the game two start going five innings giving up five runs on seven hits while walking one and striking out five. Yuhas continued his strong offensive day going 1-3 with two RBI and one run scored as he was responsible for three of his team’s four runs in the game. Williams brought in the other run going 0-2 with an RBI marking the first game this season where he did not get a hit.
The loss brings PSUGA’s record to 5-5 on the season as they get ready for the start of PSUAC play next week. They have a week to get ready as they are trying to make the playoffs for the sixth time in the last ten seasons. With the first half of the non-conference schedule in the books, they will look to turn things around against conference opponents.
PSUGA will be back in action this Friday when they go on the road to face PSU-Fayette. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.