Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
WAYNESBURG, Pa. (April 1) – The Waynesburg University baseball team battled hard, but suffered a two-game sweep at the hands of Grove City on Thursday.
The Yellow Jackets dropped a 4-0 decision in game one and followed with a 4-2 loss at the hands of their Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) rivals in game two. Waynesburg is now 6-13 on the season and 2-6 in conference play, while Grove City improved to 8-7 on the year and 4-1 in the PAC.
The Jackets were able to stay right with the Wolverines until the very end of game one because of starting pitcher Anthony Longo. Through the first six innings of play, Longo gave up just one run on just three singles. However, in the seventh, the Wolverines finally got to the freshman and posted the final three runs of the contest.
Longo took the loss after giving up six hits and four runs over 6.1 innings of work. He struck out five and walked just two. Grove City's Mike Herringshaw matched Longo on the mound by working all seven innings and giving up just two hits.
The two teams combined for just eight hits in the opener.
In game two, GCC was able to take a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but Waynesburg responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame when Kasey Eutsey scored on a Patrick Logan single. The Jackets took their first lead of the afternoon (2-1) in the bottom of the second when catcher Noah Pust drove in second baseman Jesse Gonzalez with an RBI single.
After Grove City tied the game in the top of the third at 2-2, the two teams traded scoreless half innings until the top of the seventh, when the Wolverines put up a pair of runs that moved them ahead 4-2. Waynesburg had the game-tying run at the plate in the final inning, but the visitors were able to shut the door.
The Jackets got another solid pitching effort in the late game. Senior Zac Rhoades allowed four runs on eight hits and didn't walk a batter over six innings of work. He also had four strikeouts in the outing. Sophomore Chris Dittmar closed up the game with an inning of work.
Gonzalez and right fielder Andrew Spargur picked up two hits each to lead the offense.
Waynesburg will try to find the winning touch on April 7, when they are scheduled to host Westminster for a nine-inning PAC contest.
