Vero Beach, Fla. - The Penn State Greater Allegheny baseball team continue to battle their way through their Spring Break trip in Vero Beach, Thursday afternoon, as the Lions fell in game one by a score of 4-0 just to bounce back with a 9-6 victory to close the day.
In game one, a huge first inning from Norwich was just too much to overcome. A triple from Norwich's Sirois sent a run across home plate, placing himself in scoring position. A walk between a Smith single resulted in a three run bat, as the an error resulted in a 4-0 pit.
Greater Allegheny managed just a pair of hits off of Norwich's Whaley. Sophomore first baseman Joshua Arroyo (Toa Alta, Puerto Rico/Levittown Baptist Academy) and sophomore designated hitter Francisco Del Rio (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico/Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy) hit a double a piece to get Greater Allegheny on base.
Senior right-handed pitcher Eddie Emes (New Brighton, Pa./New Brighton) pitched the complete game, tossing five strike-outs.
Norwich kept Whaley on the mound for game two as Greater Allegheny decided to go with a fresh set of arms. Freshman right-handed pitcher Luke Padezan (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) gained the start.
Norwich came out steep again in the first inning, notching a homer with one on base, GA down 2-0 before they even get to the plate. Junior third baseman Clay Groff (Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice), senior center fielder Gianmarco Concepcion (Bayamon, Puerto Rico/Mercyhurst North East) and Padezan all singled to get on base. Arroyo and senior right fielder Matt Klena (Allison Park, Pa./Shaler Area) moved to first base on hit-by-pitch, scoring Groff and Padezan, 2-2 with no outs.
The three on base all advanced on a balk, scoring Concepcion and moving GA into the lead. Del Rio grounded out, moving Arroyo home. Sophomore left fielder Mark Hollis (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) reached first on an error, sccoring Klena and advancing GA ahead of Norwich, 5-2.
Norwich notched another two runs in the top of the next inning, moving the game to a 5-4 Greater Allegheny lead. Senior right-handed pitcher Aaron McGee (Harrison City, Pa./Penn-Trafford) came into the game at the top of the fourth inning before Norwich dropped another two tallies, one off an error and another forced by a single, Norwich ahead 6-5.
The game flipped in the bottom of the fifth inning as Greater Allegheny came back with a vengeance. Concepcion singled before he stole second. Arroyo singled to left field as Concepcion dashed to tie the game at six. Freshman outfielder Dylan Ernst (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) came into the game and hammered a triple, moving Hollis, Del Rio and Arroyo to score and put GA ahead 9-6.
Norwich marked three hits and two left on base through the next two appearances, but McGee and the GA defense shut their efforts down. Greater Allegheny put up their fourth win of the season with the 9-6 upend.
Concepcion and Hollis both hit 2-for-3 through the second game, notching three runs combined. Arroyo went 1-for-3 with a set of RBIs and two runs tallied. Norwich managed six hits off of McGee, though he only allowed two runs through his four inning stint.
Greater Allegheny (4-3) is set to play a nine-inning match against Bridgewater State, Friday morning, scheduled for a 9 a.m. first-pitch.
