Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

 

ALTOONA, Pa. (April 20) – The Waynesburg University baseball team managed a two-game split at Penn State Altoona on Tuesday afternoon.

 

The Jackets cruised to a 7-1 lead in the opener, but dropped a 9-6 contest in the late game. After going 1-1 against the Lions, The Yellow Jackets are now 12-16 on the season, while Penn State Altoona is now 15-17.

 

Waynesburg immediately took the lead in the opener with two runs in the top of the first. After second baseman Wes White Jr led off with a single, he moved up to second on an error and stole third. Third baseman Corey Goeggelman brought White home on a groundout and gave the visitors a 1-0 lead. After the Lions recorded the second out of the frame, shortstop Anthony DeFilippo walked. Catcher Brendan Scioscia followed by reaching base on Altoona's second error of the inning. The next batter, right fielder Nick Berdine, singled to left field and brought DeFilippo home to make it 2-0.

 

Penn State Altoona got a run back in the bottom of the first, but Waynesburg immediately rebuilt a two-run advantage in the top of the second. With one out on the board, left fielder Kenny Grant walked, stole second base and then advanced to third on a balk. Two batters later, Goeggelman laid down a beautiful bunt that brought Grant home and moved the Jackets ahead 3-1.

 

After neither team scored in the third inning, the Jackets put the game away with a four-run outburst in the top of the fourth. Eight Waynesburg players came to the plate in the big frame, including Berdine, who ripped a two-run double into right field that made the score 7-1 in favor of Waynesburg. Goeggelman added his third RBI in as many at-bats during the inning.

 

The Lions threatened in the fifth inning after drawing two walks and picking up a hit, but the Jackets were able to wriggle out of danger and go on for the win.

 

Berdine led the offense in the victory by going three-for-four with a double and three runs driven in. The support was more than enough for sophomore lefty Ben Oviatt, who picked up his first win on the mound this season. He worked all seven innings and allowed just four hits, while giving up one unearned run. He walked three and struck out two.

 

In game two, Waynesburg scored first once again. In the top of the second, catcher Noah Pust blasted his first collegiate homerun, a two-run shot, that scored first baseman Patrick Logan, who singled in the previous at-bat.

 

However, the Lions rebounded with three runs in the bottom of the second to go ahead 3-2, but the lead was short-lived. In the top of the fourth, Logan doubled in Berdine, who doubled two batters earlier, to tie the contest back up at 3-3. Unfortunately, with runners at second and third and only one out, the Jackets were unable to fully take advantage.

 

Penn State Altoona retook the lead at 5-3 in the bottom of the fourth, but, once again, Waynesburg was able to answer. In the top of the fifth, the visiting team cut the deficit to 5-4 after center fielder Rob Cool Jr tagged a sacrifice fly that scored White, who led off the inning with a double.

 

The Lions were finally able to put the game away with a run in the bottom of the fifth and three more scores in the bottom of the sixth that moved them ahead 9-4. The Yellow Jackets mounted a comeback that came up a bit short in the top of the seventh. Cool drove in his second run of the game when he grounded out to third and plated White. A single by Berdine scored DeFilippo and cut the deficit to 9-6. The Jackets had two men on and the tying run at the plate with two outs on the board, but the Lions were able to seal up the victory.

 

Designated hitter Bryan Leones strung together a team-high three hits, all singles, in four at-bats during the loss. Pust and Cool both drove in a team-high two runs in the late game.

 

Sophomore pitcher Evan Angle took the loss on the mound after tossing 5.1 innings in which he gave up eight runs, all earned, on eight hits and three walks. He picked up one strikeout on the day.

 

The Jackets are next in action on Friday, April 23, when they travel to Beaver Falls to face Geneva in a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.