Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
GREENVILLE, Pa. (March 27) – The Waynesburg University baseball team won its fifth-straight game as part of a two-game split against Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) rival Thiel on Saturday at Tomcat Park.
The Yellow Jackets took the opener by the score of 7-1, but fell in game two by the final of 18-8. With the split, Waynesburg is now 6-8 on the year and 2-1 in PAC play. The Tomcats are now 8-7 overall and 1-2 in conference action.
In the opener, Waynesburg pounded out 10 hits and got a stellar pitching effort from senior Zac Rhoades. The Jackets immediately built a lead they wouldn't relinquish in the first inning. Senior second baseman Wes White Jr led off the game by being hit by a pitch and then stealing two bases. Two batters later, shortstop Anthony Defilippo singled White home to put his team ahead.
The Jackets added a run in the second and a run in the third to take a 3-0 lead. Thiel got one run back in the bottom of the third to cut Waynesburg's advantage to 3-1. However, Waynesburg responded with a run in the fourth, two in the fifth and another run in the sixth to pick up the 7-1 win.
Waynesburg pounded Thiel pitchers throughout the opener as five of their 10 hits were for extra bases. First baseman Bill Hanning picked up three of those extra-base hits on two doubles and a triple. He also scored three runs. Catcher Brendan Scioscia added a two-for-two effort with a double and a game-high three RBI. Third baseman Corey Goeggelman added two hits and a pair of RBI.
While the Jackets were pounding out the hits, Rhoades kept the Tomcats from the doing the same. He scattered six hits and four walks over seven innings of play, while picking up three strikeouts on his way to the win.
Game two started well for the Jackets as they were once again able to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Waynesburg scored the run when White tripled and was singled in by Goeggelman.
Unfortunately, unlike game one, the Yellow Jackets couldn't contain the Thiel bats, as the Tomcats responded with seven runs in the bottom of the first. The Jackets bounced back with two runs in the top of the second, but Thiel added three runs in the bottom of the frame and three in the bottom of the third to effectively put the game out of reach.
Both teams pounded out 15 hits each in the slugfest, but Waynesburg pitchers gave up eight walks and hit four Tomcat batters. Thiel yielded just one walk and hit only two Waynesburg batters.
Though they came in a loss, the Jackets still enjoyed several stellar performances at the plate. Hanning led the offense with three hits in four trips to the plate. For the day, he racked up six hits against Thiel pitching. White went two-for-three in game two with a triple and a single. Senior #Bryan Leones# came off the bench and went two-for-two with a triple, a single and an RBI.
Sophomore Chris Dittmar got the start and took the loss for Waynesburg. He lasted just 0.2 innings, gave up seven earned runs on five hits and five hit batsmen.
Waynesburg is scheduled to be back in action on Tuesday, March 30, when they travel to New Wilmington for a PAC doubleheader against Westminster. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
