MEADVILLE, Pa. (April 21) – The Waynesburg University baseball team traveled to Allegheny for a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) doubleheader on Friday. The Yellow Jackets put up a good showing against the number-three team in the league, but dropped both ends of the twin bill by the scores of 3-2 and 11-6.
The Jackets (12-22, 8-10) were led in game one by freshman
Dalton Lucey (Holbrook, Pa. / West Greene), who logged a second-straight nine-inning complete game against a top-three PAC team. Lucey allowed just two earned runs on six hits, two walks and five strikeouts. Despite taking the loss, Lucey's team-leading ERA dipped to 3.94, which is good for 13
th in the conference. His two complete games are tied for second in the league.
Allegheny (18-12, 10-4) opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the first innings. Waynesburg answered back with a run in the top of the third when sophomore
Seth Burgdolt (Taylorstown, Pa. / McGuffey) doubled in junior
Nolan Vertullo (Pittsburgh, Pa. / South Fayette).
The Gators re-established their two-run advantage in the bottom of the fourth, before Waynesburg made the score 3-2 thanks to an error. The Jackets put two runners on in the top of the ninth, but couldn't bring in the game-tying run.
The two conference opponents combined for just 10 hits. Vertullo posted half of Waynesburg's four base knocks The Jackets waited out five walks in the opener.
After a scoreless first inning, Waynesburg took a 1-0 lead in game two when junior
Lane Ours (Moorefield, W.Va. / Moorefield) scored on a passed ball in the top of the second. Allegheny answered with a run in its half of the frame, four in the third and another in the fourth to build a 6-1 advantage.
The Jackets got back on the board in the fifth thanks to a solo homerun from Burgdolt. The score remained 6-2 until the seventh, when junior
Todd Burner (Parkersburg, W.Va / Parkersburg South) blasted his fourth of the season, which was a two-run shot that also brought sophomore
Dalton Mount (Sykesville, Md. / Westminster) across home plate, making the score 6-4.
Burner's shot gave Waynesburg a team-high 24 homers this spring.
Unfortunately, Allegheny fired back with four runs in its half of the seventh that made the score 10-4. The Jackets responded with two runs in the eighth when junior
Mike Bell (Herminie, Pa. / Yough) scored on a wild pitch and Mount singled in sophomore
Alec Engelmore (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Shaler).
The Gators closed out the scoring in the eighth.
Engelmore posted two of Waynesburg's seven hits in game two, one of which was a double.
Sophomore
Bryce Bedilion (Clarksville, Pa. / Jefferson-Morgan) got the start on the mound and suffered the loss after allowing six runs, all of which were earned, on six hits and two walks. Bedilion picked up three strikeouts in his latest start.
Waynesburg hosts Grove City on Wednesday, April 26, for its final home doubleheader of the year. First pitch of the PAC twin bill is scheduled for 1 p.m.