Lopez Retires Ten in 5-4 Edge over Fayette Baseball

Uniontown, Pa. - The Penn State Greater Allegheny men's baseball team swiped a Penn State University Athletic Conference victory over Penn State Fayette, Wednesday afternoon, 5-4, before falling in game two by a tally of 7-2.

Fayette went up a quick 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning before a huge top of the second rolled around for the Lions. Junior second baseman Adam Jacko (North Versailles, Pa./East Allegheny) walked to first base before he stole second. Sophomore left-fielder Mark Hollis (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) was hit by pitch before sophomore designated hitter Luke Padezan (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) singled to left field to fill the bases.

Sophomore outfielder Sam Ligeros (Munhall, Pa./Steel Valley) walked to push home Hollis home, 1-2 Fayette. Freshman shortstop Dylan Finocchi (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) doubled to left field to bring home both Graziano and Padezan, 3-2 GA. Following a senior outfielder John Nusser (Pittsburgh, Pa./Brashear) walk, freshman third baseman Zach Craven (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) singled down the left field line to bring home Finocchi and Ligeros, GA swelled to 5-2 over Fayette.

A sacrifice fly in the bottom of the second brought Fayette a run closer to Greater Allegheny before they managed to notch another in the bottom of the third.

The top of the fourth brought a Ligeros single to the short stop before Graziano picked up a walk in the top of the sixth. Finocchi managed a single in the top of the seventh to pave the way into the bottom of the inning. A homer in the bottom of the seventh made it a tight squeeze for Greater Allegheny but with help from the defense, GA held on for the win, 5-4.

Through game one, freshman right-handed pitcher Marcos Lopez (Gurabo, Puerto Rico/Ramey High) earned his first collegiate win on the mound, as the freshman threw a seven -inning complete game. Lopez saw 30 batters, sitting an astounding ten down on strikeouts, tossing 73 strikes on 117 pitches.

Finocchi ripped 2-of-4 while posting two RBIs and one run. Craven added a pair of runs batted in while Ligeros posted 2-of-2 from the plate with one run and one run batted in.

Game two started quickly as Finocchi singled to center field before he stole both second and third base. Finocchi scored after an error on the third baseman before Craven walked and junior catcher Francisco Del Rio (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico/Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy) reached on a fielding error to head into the bottom of the inning, GA up 1-0.

With the wind on their side, Fayette managed to nail a pair of homeruns in the bottom of the inning to quickly escalate the Roaring Lions over GA, 4-1.

Hollis was hit by pitch before Padezan singled to left center to leave two on base in the second.

The top of the third saw a Craven single to right field before stealing second. Del Rio walked as Hollis singled to right field to fill the bases. With a Padezan single to center field, Craven scored to slice the Fayette lead in half, 4-2.

A quiet few bouts on both sides of the ball brought the top of the fifth, where Del Rio got to base on a walk before Hollis singled to the center field.

Fayette brought big bats in the bottom of the fifth, as the Roaring Lions connected on a trio of doubles, as two hitters reached home plate to bring their tally up to 6-2.

With a bit of a line-up change, Greater Allegheny put freshman designated hitter Cody Calfo (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) singled to right field before designated hitter Lopez reached base on a walk. Three consecutive outs at the top of the order closed the top of the sixth.

Fayette gnabbed another run preceeding four hits in the bottom of the sixth. The deficit was just too much to overcome this late in the day, as the Lions closed out the game after three batters in the top of the seventh.

Sophomore right-handed pitcher Nick Jeffers (Vinton, Ohio/River Valley) got his first appearance on the mound with 5 1/3 innings pitched, facing 24 batters, sitting four down on strikeout. 

Both Padezan and Hollis hit 2-of-3 through game two, as Finocchi, Craven and Calfo all notched one each.

Greater Allegheny (4-12, 2-2 PSUAC) looks to go on a Penn State University Athletic Conference weekend, as they are scheduled to play Penn State York on Saturday and Penn State Mont Alto on Sunday. First pitch on Saturday is set for 2 p.m.