MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (Feb. 17) – The Waynesburg University baseball team opened its season with a non-Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) doubleheader against La Roche at Mylan Park in Morgantown, W.Va. The Yellow Jackets returned to Waynesburg with a pair of victories over the Redhawks by the final scores of 5-4 and 5-3.
 
Waynesburg (2-0) fell behind 1-0 in the top of the first of game one. That was the last time La Roche (0-2) led in the opener, as the Jackets rebounded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame. Senior starting pitcher Gavin Pratt (Carmichaels, Pa. / Carmichaels) helped himself out with an RBI sacrifice fly that plated senior Jordan Mosley (St. Albans, W.Va. / St. Albans) to tie the game at 1-1. The next batter, junior Trent Giraffa (Hanover, Pa. / Delone Catholic), put his team ahead 2-1 with a run-scoring single that brought freshman Eli Boring (Latrobe, Pa. / Greater Latrobe) across home plate.
 
Waynesburg tripled its lead in the bottom of the second when Boring collected his first two collegiate RBIs on a double that brought in sophomore Kaden Flambard (Bethel Park, Pa. / Bethel Park) and senior Noah Gabriel (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Shaler).
 
The Redhawks cut their deficit down to 4-3 in the top of the third thanks to a two-run throwing error.
 
The Jackets posted their final run of the early contest in the bottom of the fourth when Boring struck again, this time bringing in Flambard from second with a single.
 
La Roche tallied its final run with a two-out RBI double in the top of the fifth. However, they were unable to figure out senior Dalton Lucey (Waynesburg, Pa. / West Greene), who gave up just a walk and posted his first strikeout of the season to earn the two-inning save.
 
Pratt got the start on the mound and picked up the win after allowing three runs, just one of which was earned, on only one hit and two walks. He struck out four Redhawks over four innings of work.
 
Boring had two of Waynesburg's six hits, while La Roche was held to just three knocks.
 
Game two got off to a rocky start for the Orange and Black after senior starting pitcher Ethan Erhard (Greensburg, Pa. / Hempfield) was touched up for three runs over his first two innings on the bump. The veteran righty settled down starting in the top of the third and didn't allow a run over his final three innings of work.
 
The Jacket bats began the comeback in the bottom of the second when senior Hunter Hamilton (Holbrook, Pa. / West Greene) knocked in freshman Mason Leonard (Latrobe, Pa. / Greater Latrobe) to make the score 3-1. Hamilton came around to score three batters later on Flambard's first RBI of the campaign.
 
After neither team score in the third, the Jackets went ahead for good in the bottom of the fourth when Hamilton scored on a La Roche error and junior Hunter Mamie (Eighty Four, Pa. / Ringgold) stole home when Flambard got himself into a rundown between first and second base.
 
Leading 4-3, the Jackets were hunting for an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. They got that run when another Redhawk error allowed Leonard, who had already stolen third, to sprint home on an errant throw from the catcher.
 
Once again, the Jacket bullpen was up the task of preserving a slim lead. Senior Zach Scibelli (Ravenna, Ohio / Ravenna) stranded a runner at third during a scoreless sixth, before graduate student Nick Skoufalos (Cherry Hill, N.J. / Doane Academy) slammed the door for his first save as a Jacket. He allowed a one-out single, but stranded the runner right there to close out the win.
 
Erhard improved to 1-0 on the year after giving up three earned on five hits and a walk. He punched out four Redhawk hitters.
 
Mamie went 2-for-3 in the late contest to lead the Jacket bats. Leonard and Hamilton both scored a pair of runs.
 
Waynesburg is back in action this weekend when they play three games over two days in Fairfax, Va. They open the trip on Saturday with a noon matchup with Elmira College.