Baseball Overcomes Early Deficit, Advances With 6-3 Win Over Penn College

Butler, Pa- A game that started about as bad as it possibly could, would end at the complete opposite end of the spectrum, as the Greater Allegheny baseball team overcame a 3-0 deficit in the first by scoring six unanswered runs against #2 seeded Penn College.  GA would win the game 6-3 in 8 innings, and advanced to the second round of the winner's bracket in the PSUAC Baseball Championship.

  Greater Allegheny went quickly in the first, while starting pitcher, senior Jonathan Lutz (West Mifflin, PA), struggled out of the gate.  Lutz walked the first three  batters, each of whom would come around to score, putting Penn College ahead 3-0.

  Two shutout innings later, Greater Allegheny finally got on the board.  In the fourth, junior outfielder Mike Visloski (West Allegheny, PA) opened the scoring with a solo-shot to right center, his fourth home run of the season.  Freshman outfielder Oliver Girman (Serra Catholic, PA) was hit by a pitch, and then advanced to third on an error by the second baseman in the at-bat that followed.  Girman then scored on a ground out, making the score 3-2.

  Lutz cruised through three innings following his tough first, and then gave-way to Girman.  Girman continued the strong pitching, shutting out Penn College for the remainder of the afternoon.  GA tied the game in the fifth when Mike Visloski doubled home sophomore outfielder Zak Schmidt (Moon, PA), who had also doubled. 

  Two more empty frames sent the game to extra innings, where the GA bats would push them in front.  Zak Schmidt opened the 8th with an infield hit, then advanced to second on a single from Visloski.  Oliver Girman then helped his own cause, executing the perfect "slash" play by singling up the middle to score Schmidt.  A few batters later,  senior second baseman Teddy Fricke (Carrick, PA) singled down the left field line, scoring two more runners. 

  Up 6-3 heading into the last of the 8th, Girman would shut the door on Penn College, clinching the GA victory.   Girman (5-1) earned the win on the mound, pitching 4 perfect innings and striking out 3.  Mike Visloski led the Greater Allegheny bats by going 4-4 with 2 RBI's and a home run.  Zak Schmidt and Teddy Fricke also each had 2 hits.

  With the victory, Greater Allegheny advances to take on the winner of Penn State Beaver and Penn State Mont Alto.  GA was swept by Beaver, and split a double-header with Mont Alto.  First pitch tomorrow is set for 1:30 PM.