GREENSBURG, Pa. (May 4) – The Waynesburg University baseball team traveled to Pitt Greensburg on Wednesday for a non-conference tune-up before a crucial Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) series this weekend. The Yellow Jacket bats showed plenty of improvement since the two teams met up back on March 16, but the Bobcats were still able to pick up the win, doing so by a 12-9 final score.
 
Waynesburg (14-22) fell behind 8-0 after four innings of play, but pulled itself back into the game with three runs in the fifth and a fourth in the sixth. Sophomore left fielder Tyler Godwin plated the Jackets' first run with an RBI single. Two batters later, freshman second baseman Tyler Reis continued a fine rookie season in Orange and Black by slapping a two-run single that made the score 8-3.
 
Senior Tyler Rubasky blasted his first collegiate homerun in the top of the sixth to trim the Waynesburg deficit down to four runs at 8-4. Pitt Greensburg (22-16) slowed the Jackets' offensive momentum with a run in the bottom of the sixth, but the Waynesburg bats stayed hot.
 
Reis came up with an RBI triple in the seventh and was eventually brought into score on a single by junior right fielder Luke Carter. Trailing 9-6, Waynesburg whittled the Bobcat lead to a single run in the eighth. Godwin connected on a sacrifice fly and sophomore Jake Rush recorded his first collegiate RBI when he drove in junior center fielder Josh Hausler to make the score 9-8.
 
Unfortunately, the Bobcats re-established a multi-run advantage (12-8) with three tallies in their half of the eighth. Waynesburg didn't give up the fight until the final out of the day was recorded. Carter singled in Reis to make the score 12-9. The Jackets proceeded to put two runners on with no outs on the board, but UPG recorded three-straight outs to snuff out the comeback try.
 
Waynesburg cranked out 12 hits, including four extra-base knocks, but were hurt by three defensive errors that led to three unearned runs. Carter led the Jackets with three base knocks, while Reis and Rubasky notched two hits each.
 
Sophomore Noah Lolley got a spot start and suffered the loss after giving up three runs, only one of which was earned, over three innings of work. He was the first of five Jackets to take the mound for the Orange and Black.
 
Waynesburg fell 10-1 to UPG during the two teams' first meeting early in the year. The Jackets now turn their attention to the Westminster Titans. The two teams will meet in the final series of the regular season for both schools. Waynesburg must sweep all three contests and get some help to slip into the upcoming 2016 PAC tournament. First pitch of a nine-inning game in New Wilmington is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Friday.