Myrtle Beach, Pa. – The Penn State Greater Allegheny Baseball team (3-1, 0-0) fought hard but couldn’t overcome one bad inning as they fell to Penn State Schuylkill (1-4, 0-0) 14-10. The offense put together and 11 hit performance as seven of the nine starters got at least one hit in the game including two multi-hit performances.
After Schuylkill put up a run in the top of the first, Jordan Williams (McKeesport, PA./McKeesport HS) gave his team the spark they needed early rocketing the first pitch he saw down the left-field line for a triple and a throwing error brought him home making it a 1-1 ballgame. After a single and a walk put runners on first and second, Brian Koglin (Fox Chapel, PA./Fox Chapel HS) rocketed a double down the left field line giving PSUGA their first lead of the day 3-1.
PSUGA would load the bases with nobody out the next inning thanks to a single and back-to-back walks. Randy Berroa (Harlem, NY./Norman Thomas HS) drew a bases loaded walk and Brett Yuhas (Munhall, PA./Steel Valley HS) hit an RBI groundout to extend the lead to 5-1. Koglin would then hit a groundball to third and Berroa got into a run down that allowed Williams to score and PSUGA found themselves ahead 6-1 after two innings.
After being down for the first three innings of the game, PSU-Schuylkill came to life in the fourth inning scoring 10 runs in the inning while batting around. PSUGA used three different pitchers in the inning and right fielder Blake Flocker (McKeesport, PA./McKeesport HS) would bring the inning to an end tracking down a fly ball in foul territory and diving head long to make a spectacular catch and hold the deficit to 11-6.
PSUGA would respond two innings later after a leadoff double by Zack Craven (McKeesport, PA./McKeesport HS) when Dylan Ernst (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport HS) brought him home with a double of his own to cut the PSU-Schuylkill lead to 11-7. Marcos Lopez (Caglas, Puerto Rico/Ramey HS) and Williams added an RBI triple and an RBI single before the inning was over and the score was cut to 11-10 heading into the sixth.
However, Schuylkill would finish the game with four runs in the top of the seventh, including a two-run home run from Timothy Hughes, and handed PSUGA their first loss of the 2019 season. Matt Givler (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville HS) got the start going 3.1 inning allowing six runs on eight hits while walking one and striking out five.
With the loss, PSUGA now moves to 3-1 on the season but still played well on the day. They fought throughout the game and the offense continued their hot streak scoring in double digits for the second time in four games this season. They will look to learn and get better as they continue their Myrtle Beach trip.
PSUGA Baseball is back in action Wednesday afternoon when they take on Henry Ford College at 3:30 p.m. The game will be held at the Polo Grounds at the Cal Ripken Experience.
