Greater Allegheny Baseball Swipes Two Conference Wins Over Brandywine

Pittsburgh, Pa. - Through two contests on Saturday afternoon, the Penn State Greater Allegheny men's baseball team took two Penn State University Athletic Conference victories over Penn State Brandywine, 9-3 and 5-3, improving their conference record to a perfect 8-0.

Game one started scoreless through the first inning before Brandywine managed a run in the top of the second. Junior outfielder Gianmarco Concepcion (Bayamon, Puerto Rico/Mercyhurst North East) singled to the shortstop before junior catcher Troy Ambros (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./West Browar) singled down the right field line, as sophomore Bill Carter (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) came in to pinch run for the catcher. Senior outfielder Braedon Pennington (Punxsutawney, Pa./Mercyhurst) singled to left field, which made way for both Concepcion and Carter to come in to home plate, lifting GA over Brandywine 2-1.

Senior infielder Adam Wehr (Orefield, Pa./Northwestern Lehigh) singled to left field before sophomore outfielder Jose Pablo Bonilla (Coto Laurel, Puerto Rico/Academia Santa Maria) singled up the middle. Concepcion cracked a single to left field before advancing to second on the throw, pushing Wehr across home. Ambros singled to right center, also advancing on the throw, sending Bonilla to score, GA now ahead 4-1.

Sophomore infielder Tommy Williams (Harrison City, Pa./Penn-Trafford) singled to left field before freshman infielder Brian Casiano (San Juan, Puerto Rico/International Baseball Academy) doubled to to center field, advancing on the throw as Williams scored. Wehr singled down the left field line, batting in Casiano. Freshman Jefry Meja Mercedes (Carolina, Puerto Rico/St. Francis) pinch ran for Wehr before Bonilla singled down the left field line. Ambros was next up as he grabbed two RBI's as Bonilla and Mercedes score, Greater Allegheny leading their conference foe 8-1.

Brandywine notched two more in the top of the fifth before Greater Allegheny added one more. Pennington singled to center field before sophomore Jon Nusser (Pittsburgh, Pa./Brashear) pinch ran for the outfielder. Junior infielder Aaron McGee (Harrison City, Pa./Penn-Trafford) slammed a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Nusser and ending the scoring drive through game one, Greater Allegheny grabbing a 9-3 triumph.

The Greater Allegheny offense gained 15 hits off of 30 at bats through game one. Sophomore left-handed pitcher Zach Krivda (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) threw seven innings, sitting down seven batters on strike-outs. Bonilla went 3-for-4 at the plate while scoring two runs. Ambros also went 3-for-4, batting in three runs.

Brandywine dropped a homer, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning in game two, putting GA in their largest deficit of the day. Casiano was the lead off hitter, as he too slammed a homer to center field, slicing the lead in half. Three innings came and went as both teams remained scoreless until the fifth inning.

Brandywine earned another homer in the fifth, leading Greater Allegheny 3-1. McGee singled to left center, advancing to second on the throw, as Williams came home to score. Ambros flied out to center field for a sacrifice fly as Casiano tied the game up at three. 

Casiano made his presence known again in the bottom of the sixth, as he singled down the right field line, bringing in both Williams and Mercedes, who again pinch ran for Pennington. Greater Allegheny found themselves now ahead of Brandywine 5-3 to end the second meeting.

Senior right-handed pitcher Eric Schell (Linesville, Pa./Mercyhurst North East) earned his first win on the mound as he saw 12 batters through three innings, allowing just three hits and sitting down five batters on strike-outs. Casiano went 3-for-4 at the plate, scoring two runs and three RBI's. Williams went 1-for-3 as he scored two runs in the second match-up.

Greater Allegheny, now 16-8, 8-0 PSUAC, looks forward to another conference double header Sunday afternoon, as Penn State Schyulkill comes to Woodland Hills. The first pitch is set for 12 p.m.