Greater Allegheny Baseball Upended by Cincinnati-Clermont

Butler, Pa. - Through a pair of seven inning contests, the Penn State Greater Allegheny men's baseball team dropped both contests to the University of Cincinnati-Clermont, Saturday afternoon, by margins of 12-3 and 10-0.

The first four innings went down routinely, as freshman outfielder Marcos Lopez (Gurabo, Puerto Rico/Ramey High) and freshman outfielder Mark Pfleger (Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice) singled in the bottom of the second. Senior second baseman John Nusser (Pittsburgh, Pa./Brashear) doubled to left field before freshman third baseman Dylan Finocchi (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) singled in the bottom of the third.

Cincinnati-Clermont managed five runs in the top of the fifth before adding another in the bottom of the five. Greater Allegheny rallied to get on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning as Finocchi reached first on a throwing error before stealing second. Junior catcher Francisco Del Rio (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico/Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy) doubled to the third baseman before heading to third after the throw, pushing Finocchi to score. Sophomore outfielder Mark Hollis (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) singled to the right center to usher home Del Rio. Freshman outfielder Cody Calfo (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) grounded out to second base to bat in Hollis, 6-3 Cincinnati-Clermont.

An out-of-control seventh inning led to six Cincinnati-Clermont runs in the top of the seventh. Time just ran out on the Lions as the away team sat in the drivers seat, 12-3, after game one.

Finocchi, Nusser, Del Rio, Hollis, Lopez, Pfleger and Jeffers all obtained hits in the first game, while Del Rio, Hollis and Calfo all reigned in RBIs.

Game two began not long after. Four runs were put up in the second inning for Cininnati-Clermont, 4-0. Del Rio roped a single up the middle before sophomore designated hitter Luke Padezan (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) singled to third base in the bottom of the second. Junior second baseman Adam Jacko (North Versailles, Pa./East Allegheny) noted a double to center field in the third leading into a four-run top of the fourth inning for Cincinnati-Clermont, 8-0 visitors.

The bottom of the fourth added a Del Rio first base appearance after an error by the third baseman as Hollis singled to right field and stole second.

Two more Cincinnati-Clermont runs in the top of the sixth was the solidifier for the visitors, as they finished their road-trip with a pair of wins. Due to inclement weather, the nine-inning contest scheduled for Sunday at Pullman Park has been canceled.

Francisco, Mark and Luke all added hits in the second game as the pitching staff saw 36 batters.

The men look forward to a few days off to allow the weather to cooperate, as St. Joseph's (VT) is scheduled to come to Pullman Park on Wednesday morning. Greater Allegheny (2-8) looks forward to a 10 a.m. first pitch to start the double-header.