Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
WAYNESBURG, Pa. (March 19) – The Waynesburg University baseball team continued its offensive struggles at home on Saturday, as the Penn State Behrend Lions came to town and swept the Yellow Jackets by the final scores of 6-2 and 6-4.
In game one, the Lions (7-3) scored three quick runs in the first two innings off Jacket starting pitcher Anthony Longo, one of which came on a double-steal by the Lions. Longo was chased from the game after four innings, during which he surrendered five runs on eight hits, walked two and struck out one batter.
The Jackets (2-10) got something going at the plate in the fourth inning, when senior shortstop Anthony DeFilippo took a pitch off his elbow. Junior designated hitter Noah Pust followed with a well-placed bunt down the third-base line and beat out the throw to first, allowing DeFilippo to advance safely to second. After two quick outs, junior third baseman Tim Chilcote slapped a base hit to right field that scored both Pust and DeFilippo and made it a 5-2 game.
That was, however, the last of the Jacket offense, as Lions closer Chad Zurat slammed the door shut by throwing two innings of no-hit baseball in relief to earn the save.
In game two, senior Waynesburg pitcher Jesse Gonzalez ran into trouble early, as he allowed three runs in the first inning. However, Waynesburg responded once again by tying the game at 3-3 with a two-run single by Chilcote to right field.
Unfortunately, The Lions again had an answer for the Jackets' offensive outburst by manufacturing two runs on two hits in the second inning, sending Gonzalez to an early exit. Junior Rob Baumgartel came on in relief of Gonzalez, and in only his fourth appearance this season did his best to keep the Jackets in the game, including getting out of a base-loaded jam in the second.
Baumgartel worked 5.1 innings in relief, allowing just three hits and no earned runs while striking out eight batters. The Jackets were undone by mental mistakes in the fifth inning, as an error by the first baseman extended the inning and allowed the Lions to pull off yet another double-steal to make it 6-3. Waynesburg had one last shot to pull out a win when right fielder Bill Spina drove in a run on a sacrifice groundout to bring about the final score.
One notable bright spot for the Jackets was the play of Defilippo, who went four-for-four with a double in game two. Defilippo went five-for-six with a walk in the doubleheader. Chilcote's four RBI was the highest total for any Waynesburg hitter.
The Yellow Jackets will try to right the ship before Friday, March 25, when they open Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) play at home with a nine-inning game against Bethany. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
