WAYNESBURG, Pa. (March 19) – The Waynesburg University baseball team hosted Penn State Altoona on Thursday for a non-Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) doubleheader. After dropping game one 14-2, the Yellow Jackets rallied in the late contest, but came up just short of a split following a 3-2 final score.
The Lions (7-7) scored a run in the first inning, two in the second, four in the third and five in the fourth to build a 12-0 lead, before the Jackets (7-9) got on the board with a two spot in the bottom of the frame. Freshman
Jose Lopez, Jr. (Lewis Center, Ohio / Olentangy Orange) broke up the shutout when he sprinted home on a wild pitch. Classmate
Brody McMillan (Griffin, Ga. / North Henderson) scored the home team's other run on an RBI single by freshman
Luke Buckner (Charleston, W.Va. / St. Albans).
PSA tallied its final two runs in the fifth to bring about the final score.
Buckner collected two of the five Jacket hits in game one.
Game two got off to a similar start, as the Lions used a run in the first, another in the third and one more fourth to go up 3-0. However, Waynesburg made things very interesting in the bottom of the fifth.
Junior
Trent Giraffa (Hanover, Pa. / DeLone Catholic) smacked a leadoff single and moved to second on a knock by freshman
Brayden Krebs (York, Pa. / Susquehannock). The Jackets loaded the bases with two outs thanks to a walk by freshman
Mason Leonard (Latrobe, Pa. / Greater Latrobe), setting the stage for sophomore
Kaden Flambard (Bethel Park, Pa. / Bethel Park). Flambard came through in the clutch with a two-run single that cut the Waynesburg deficit down to just one run.
The home team still trailed in the bottom of the seventh, but a pair of errors put two on with only one out on the scoreboard. Unfortunately, the Lions were able to wiggle out of the jam and hold on to preserve the win.
Junior
Zander Allen (Hebron, Ky. / Conner) overcame some early nerves in his first collegiate start and was almost unhittable over the final three innings. He allowed three earned runs on seven hits and one walk, while logging three strikeouts. The rookie righty allowed just one base runner over the final nine outs.
Waynesburg is back in action on Saturday, when it opens Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) play at Allegheny. The doubleheader with the Gators is scheduled to get underway at 1 p.m.