GA Baseball Posts 25 Runs Through a Pair of PSUAC Victories Over Worthington-Scranton

Dunmore, Pa. - With outstanding performances on the mound by both freshman right-handed pitcher Terance Wroniak (Pittsburgh, Pa./Carrick) and sophomore right-handed pitcher Adam Jacko (North Versailles, Pa./East Allegheny), the Penn State Greater Allegheny baseball team dominated PSUAC foe, Penn State Worthington-Scranton, through two contests, 11-0 and 15-1.

Greater Allegheny was first at bat through the game as junior third baseman Clay Groff (Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice) reached first base on an error by the right-fielder. Senior shortstop Aaron McGee (Harrison City, Pa./Penn-Trafford) walked before senior center-fielder Gianmarco Concepcion (Bayamon, Puerto Rico/Mercyhurst North East) singled to bat home Groff. Sophomore first baseman Joshua Arroyo (Toa Alta, Puerto Rico/Levittown Baptist Academy) singled to score McGee. Both Concepcion and Arroyo advanced the next base before sophomore left-fielder Mark Hollis (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) singled to bat home Concepcion. Sophomore catcher Francisco Del Rio (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico/Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy) singled to bat home Arroyo before senior right-fielder Matt Klena (Allison Park, Pa./Shaler Area) walked to fill the bases. Jacko sacrifice flied out to right-field to bring home both Hollis and Del Rio. Groff singled before McGee singled to bring home Klena, putting Greater Allegheny up a 7-0 advantage after the top of the first inning.

Wroniak took the hill for Greater Allegheny to kick-off game one, sitting two of three down in the bottom of the first on strike-outs.

The top of the third inning saw more tallies scored for the GA Lions. Jacko was hit-by-pitch to take his base before Groff singled. McGee grounded out to the shortstop to bat in Jacko. Senior designated hitter Troy Ambros (Pembroke Pines, Fla./West Broward) reached first on an error by the left-fielder, batting home Groff. As Concepcion reached first base on an error, Ambros scored. Arroyo doubled to bat in Concepcion and the 11th run of the game for Greater Allegheny. 

The remainder of the game went scoreless on both sides, ending the first match of the Penn State University Athletic Conference afternoon with a Greater Allegheny advantage, 11-0.

Wroniak pitched all five innings for the blue and white, as he saw 16 batters. Of those 16, the freshman earned nine strike-outs only allowing one hit without error or runs scored. Arroyo, Del Rio and Hollis all went 2-for-3 in the batters box, all notching a run themselves while batting another in. Groff went 2-for-4 posting two runs. Klena and McGee batted 1-for-2, each earning a run for GA in game one.

Greater Allegheny came back to bat in the top of the first in game two. Groff, McGee and Ambros were walked to fill the bases. Heavy-hitter Arroyo slammed a three-run homer, pushing not only himself across home plate, but also McGee and Groff, 3-0 GA. Hollis walked and Del Rio reached first on an error before Hollis stole home and putting Greater Allegheny ahead 4-0.

Jacko struck-out the first three batters in the bottom of the inning before GA was up again quickly. Junior second baseman John Nusser (Pittsburgh, Pa./Brashear) singled before Groff walked, each of them stealing the next base. McGee singled before he stole second, scoring Nusser. Ambros singled to bring home Groff before Concepcion doubled to score McGee. There must have been something in the water at Scranton since Arroyo came back to blast another three-run home, ushering all Ambros, Concepcion and himself to score, GA 10-0.

The bottom of the second saw the next three batters in order, sitting another two down on strike-outs. Groff walked before McGee doubled to open the top of the third inning. Ambros singled to score Groff before Concepcion grounded-out to bat home McGee. Arroyo was hit-by-pitch before Hollis singled, batting in Ambros. Del Rio walked to fill the bases as Klena singled to bat in Arroyo and the 14th run of the second game. 

Jacko lit up the bottom of the third as he sat down the seventh, eighth and ninth batter down on strike-outs. Greater Allegheny changed up their line-up in the top of the fourth to get the rest of the Greater Allegheny Lions into the game. Freshman shortstop Nick Jeffers (Vinton, Ohio/River Valley) walked before he advanced to second on a ground-out. Freshman first baseman Esteban Lasanta (Gursho, Puerto Rico/Notre Dame) singled to bat in Jeffers to score the 15th and final score for Greater Allegheny in the second game.

Worthington-Scranton managed a hit and a run in the bottom of the fifth, avoiding a second scoreless game of the day. Greater Allegheny took game two 15-1.

Jacko threw all five innings as he faced 18 batters. Of the 18 batters, Jacko struck-out 66.7% of his opposition, 12 total Worthington-Scranton hitters sitting down off of Jacko's arm. The sophomore let up just one hit and one run through the contest.

Ambros went 2-for-2 as he posted two runs himself with 2 RBIs. McGee also went 2-for-2 as he put up three runs himself with another batted home. Hollis went 2-for-2 adding a run himself with one RBI. Groff went 1-of-2 in the batters box as he tallied three runs scored. With a set of homers, Arroyo went 2-of-2 with three runs scored himself along with six RBIs.

With the set of wins, Penn State Greater Allegheny (16-6, 6-0 PSUAC) improves their record to a perfect 6-0 in Penn State University Athletic Conference action. The men get ready to travel with the softball team for a PSUAC weekend. On Saturday, the men are scheduled for a double-header over Penn State Brandywine for a 2 p.m. first-pitch. Sunday brings a double-header with Penn State Schyulkill, first pitch set for 12 p.m.