Lion Baseball Rallies Past Finger Lakes, 4-3

Butler, Pa. -  Despite trailing six innings, the Penn State Greater Allegheny baseball team came back to rally past Finger Lakes Community College, Sunday morning, by a tally of 4-3.

Finger Lakes came out this morning with a vengeance, after having their run cut short the night before due to time lapse. A single up the middle brought in a Finger Lakes run in the top of the first, 1-0. 

A Finger Lakes double in the second inning was driven in by a grounder to right field, Greater Allegheny behind 2-0.

An unearned third run for the visiting team was brought in from a wild pitch, notching what ended up being Finger Lakes' final tally of the contest.

Sophomore first baseman Joshua Arroyo (Toa Alta, Puerto Rico/Levittown Baptist Academy) doubled down the right field line before sophomore catcher Francisco Del Rio (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico/Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy) singled down the left field line, moving Arroyo to third base and had sophomore Mark Hollis (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) come in to pinch run. Each of the runners advanced a base on a throwing error by the catcher, Arroyo scores and gets Greater Allegheny on the board in the bottom of the fourth, 3-1.

The next few plate appearances for each team came and went, scoreless, until the bottom of the seventh. Sophomore second baseman Adam Jacko (North Versailles, Pa./East Allegheny) singled to then move on to second off a wild pitch. Junior third baseman Clay Groff (Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice) doubled down the left field line, scoring Jacko and slicing the deficit to one, 3-2, Finger Lakes.

Greater Allegheny's next at bat saw big things from the blue-and-white's offense. Senior left fielder Matt Klena (Allison Park, Pa./Shaler Area) doubled down the left field line before freshman right fielder Terance Wroniak (Pittsburgh, Pa./Carrick) doubled to center field, advancing Klena to third. Hollis came in to hit before he grounded out to second base, batting in Klena and tying the nail-biter at three. Groff then hammered a double over the right fielders hands and scored Hollis, putting Greater Allegheny up and over Finger Lakes, 4-3. 

Because of time constraint, the game ended after eight innings as Greater Allegheny squeaked out the narrow 4-3 victory, advancing their overall record to 7-4.

Freshman right-handed pitcher Luke Padezan (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) earned his first win of his career over Finger Lakes, as he finished the game with one inning on the mound with no runs allowed. He faced six batters, throwing 20 pitches, ten in the strike zone. Senior right-handed pitcher Eddie Emes (New Brighton, Pa./New Brighton) threw seven innings, as the veteran saw 30 batters through seven innings, sitting down six on strike-outs.

Groff connected with 3-of-5 in the batters box, as he posted a set of RBIs and three doubles. Arroyo went 2-for-3 at the plate, batting one score in. Klena went 1-for-2, as he notched a run himself.

Greater Allegheny has the week to rest as they are set to travel to Penn State Wilkes-Barre, this Sunday, for their first Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) double-headd er. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.