STEUBENVILLE, Ohio (March 25) – The Waynesburg University baseball team picked up its first Presidents' Athletic Conference victory of the season as the Jackets split a doubleheader at Franciscan on Thursday.
Waynesburg (5-14, 1-3 PAC) led 5-1 in the opening game but a five-run eighth inning gave the Barons (6-7, 1-3 PAC a late edge. The Jackets tied the game in the top of the ninth to force extra innings. Both teams loaded the bases in the 10th and came up empty. In the 11th, John Fusco cranked a walk-off home run to deliver Franciscan to a 7-6 win.
In game two, Waynesburg used a six-run sixth inning to break open a one-run ballgame and held on for a 9-6 victory.
Game 1 – Franciscan 7, Waynesburg 6 (11 innings)
After trailing 1-0, Waynesburg scored five runs in the third-through-sixth innings and to carry a 5-1 edge into the eighth. Franciscan knocked seven hits in a five-run eighth to take a 6-5 lead.
The Jackets reached on consecutive errors and
Alec Engelmore (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Shaler) knotted the game at six with a base hit to right field. The Jackets loaded the bases with nobody out but were forced out at the plate twice before a force out at second base ended the half inning.
In the 10th, Waynesburg loaded the bases with two outs but were unable to bring a run home. The Barons loaded the bases with one out but
Alex Nicholson (Cortland, Ohio / Mathews) began a 1-2-3 double play to escape unscathed.
After a scoreless top of the 11th, Fusco belted the game-winning home run over the right field wall to secure Franciscan's first PAC win of the year.
Waynesburg starting pitcher
Gavin Pratt (Carmichaels, Pa. / Carmichaels Area) allowed one earned run on three hits in five innings of work.
Dalton Lucey (Waynesburg, Pa. / West Greene) provided two scoreless innings of relief and
Mo Kiger (Waynesburg, Pa. / West Greene) held Franciscan off the scoreboard in the ninth.
Dalton Mount (Sykesville, Md. / Westminster) had four hits, a double and three RBI.
Trent Giraffa (Hanover, Pa. / Delone Catholic) had two hits, doubled and scored.
Vincent Turner (Bridgeport, W.Va. / Bridgeport) drove in a run and scored while
Connor Hamrick (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Shaler) scored twice.
Game 2 – Waynesburg 9, Franciscan 6
The Jackets led 2-1 after four innings and 3-2 after five. Waynesburg knocked five hits, including three that went for extra bases, in a six-run sixth.
Vincent Turner (Bridgeport, W.Va. / Bridgeport) started the rally with a three-run double to right. Hamrick brought home Turner with a double of his own and scored on a base hit by
Kaden Flambard (Bethel Park, Pa. / Bethel Park). A fielder's choice brought home the final run of the inning with Waynesburg ahead 9-2.
Franciscan took advantage of two Jacket miscues to plate three unearned runs in the home half of the sixth to bring the margin to 9-5. The Barons added another run in the eighth and brought the tying run to the plate with two outs in the ninth but
Ryan Opfer (Houston, Pa. / Chartiers-Houston) coaxed a groundout to first to end the ballgame.
Turner went 2-for-4 with a double, three RBI and run scored. Giraffa and
Aidan Williams (Shaler, Pa. / Shaler) both had two hits, including a double, and Giraffa scored twice. Hamrick doubled and scored two runs.
Hudson Pincavitch (Waynesburg, Pa. / Waynesburg Central) turned in a productive outing as Waynesburg's starting pitcher. He allowed tow earned runs on eight hits in 4.1 innings. Opfer collected his first win of the season after pitching the final 4.2 innings and allowed four runs, one earned.
Waynesburg travels to La Roche tomorrow for a nine-inning contest. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
