Game one box score
Game two box score
WAYNESBURG, Pa. (April 1) – Junior catcher Noah Pust's lead-off opposite-field triple and subsequent mad dash to home plate during the ensuing at-bat clinched one of the biggest wins in recent history of the Waynesburg baseball team this past Friday.
With the game tied at 5-5 going into the bottom of the eighth, Pust put the three-bagger just out of the reach of Thomas More right fielder Ryan Darner to open up the first extra inning of the day. The next batter, junior first baseman Brendan Scioscia, hit a high slow chopper to shortstop and Pust broke for home. David Kennett's throw sailed high over the head of his catcher and Pust slid in safely to give Waynesburg the 6-5 victory.
The thrilling walk-off win allowed the Yellow Jackets (6-13, 4-3) to salvage a split with the 19th-ranked Saints (12-2, 3-1) who rolled to a game-one victory by the final score of 17-7.
After losing by 10 runs in the early game of the cold, snowy twin-bill, things didn't start well in the late game for the home team as Thomas More took a 2-0 lead after scoring runs in the top of the first and third innings. However, Waynesburg didn't give up and tied the game in the bottom of the third on a two-run homerun by senior shortstop Anthony DeFilippo. Junior second baseman Corey Goeggelman, who reached base on a two-out single, also scored on the blast and the game was tied at 2-2.
The Saints looked like one of the best teams in the country as they regained the lead with three more scores in the top of the sixth. Once again, the Jackets fired back, this time with a three-spot of their own in the bottom of the frame.
With one out on the board, DeFilippo drew a walk and Pust followed with a double to put two runners in scoring position. Scioscia followed with a key two-run single that cut the lead down to 5-4. After Scioscia advanced to second on a groundout by designated hitter Nick Berdine, junior third baseman Tim Chilcote tied the game with a clutch two-out RBI single.
After neither team scored in the seventh, the game went into extra innings where Thomas More looked primed to regain the lead and possibly sweep the day. However, sophomore starting pitcher Anthony Longo got a big assist from his defense to keep the win alive. After a pair of Saints reached on an error and a bunt single, right fielder Ryan Darner singled and first baseman Andrew Thole was waved home. A picture-perfect throw from left fielder Dan Buzzard found its way to Chilcote, who gunned out Thole at the plate where Pust applied the tag.
Longo picked up the final out of the inning and set up Pust's heroics in the eighth. The sophomore righty put together a solid game's work to earn his second win of the season. He tossed all eight innings and yielded four earned runs on nine hits and four walks. Andy Roenker took the loss for Thomas More after tossing 1.2 innings of relief.
Waynesburg played right with the visitors through the first half of the opener and were tied with the Saints (2-2) through the first three innings of play. Thomas More blew the game open with 15 runs over the next four innings, including five scores in the tops of the sixth and seventh frames.
Waynesburg was out-done at the plate by just two hits (16-to-14), but five errors that led to 10 unearned runs, combined with four Thomas More homers, were far too much for the Jackets to overcome.
Senior Jesse Gonzalez suffered the loss on the mound for the Jackets after giving up seven runs, six of which were earned, over five innings of work. Aaron Carmack picked up the victory for the Saints after yielding all seven of the Jackets' runs over 5.2 innings.
DeFilippo continued his outstanding senior season at the plate on Friday by going four-for-seven with two homeruns, four RBI and three runs scored on the day. Senior outfielder Rob Cool Jr blasted a three-run homer in game one as part of a three-for-eight day, while Goeggelman and Berdine both went three-for-six with a combined three runs scored.
The two teams will conclude their season series tomorrow in Waynesburg with a nine-inning game that is scheduled to get underway at 12 p.m.
