Leesburg, FL: The Pitt-Greensburg baseball team got their annual Florida trip underway on Saturday by splitting a doubleheader with Becker College. The Bobcats would win big in Game 1, downing the Hawks 16-3, but fall in Game 2 by a 5-3 score.
Pitt-Greensburg starting pitcher,
Billy Elliott (Ligonier, PA, Ligonier Valley) stood tall in the opening game victory. He'd shake off giving up a first inning solo homerun and shutdown the Hawks over the next 4.2 innings en route to his and the Bobcats first win of the 2015 season.
The Bobcat bats would get hot in the fourth inning, starting with a solo homerun by
Chad Jacob (Bridgeville, PA, Chartiers Valley) to tie things at 1.
Matt Germanoski (Ellwood City, PA, Ellwood City) would follow with a double and advance to third on a
Tyler Lilja (Greensburg, PA, Hempfield) single one batter later.
Anthony Bozzuto (Greensburg, PA, Hempfield) would deliver another double to score Germanoski followed by a
Matt Moyer (Greensburg, PA, Hempfield) walk and a
John Buerkle (Jacksonville, FL, Fletcher) sacrifice fly to right field that plated Lilja to cap a three run inning by UPG.
Pitt-Greensburg was back at it in the fifth adding three more runs. A Lilja two RBI double would score Jacob and
Dylan Pounds (Houston, PA, Chartiers-Houston) while a Moyer double would bring Lilja home for a 6-1 advantage.
Four more runs would come in the sixth, with
Jared Pestcoe (Landisville, PA, Hempfield),
Greg Lynn (Ellwood City, PA, Ellwood City), Pounds, and Jacob all crossing home to extend the lead to 10-1.
The Bobcats would leave no doubts in the seventh inning. With Lynn on second and Pounds on first, Germanoski would send an RBI single through the right side to plate Lynn. A one out Bozzuto double would score Jacob and Pounds followed by an
Adam Dodson (Bethel Park, PA, Bethel Park) RBI single through the left side that brought Germanoski in.
Mike Maleski (Pittsburgh, PA, Plum) would then deliver a two-out RBI single to score Bozzuto followed by a wild pitch that scored Dodson for the 16
th and final Bobcat run.
Becker would add a pair of runs with two outs in the bottom of the seventh but a groundout by the Hawks would bring game one to a close with a 16-3 score in favor of the Bobcats.
Elliot picked up the win after going 5.2 innings, allowing just one run while striking out eight Hawk batters.
Cody Menges (Belle Vernon, PA, Belle Vernon) closed out the game pitching 1.1 innings, allowing two runs, none earned and striking out one.
Jacob led the way offensively after a 4-5 performance that included one homerun, one double, four runs scored, and two RBI. Lilja and Lynn weren't far behind, with Lilja going 3-4 with two doubles, two RBI, and two runs scored and Lynn also adding three hits, including two runs scored, and a stolen base. Three more would add multiple hits with Bozzuto adding two doubles, three RBI and a run scored, Germanoski tallying two hits, one double, two runs, and two RBI and Moyer chipping in with two hits, one double, and two RBI.
Game 2 would see a change of fortune for Pitt-Greensburg. The Bobcats would tally three runs and allow five over seven innings allowing the Hawks to secure the split.
The sixth inning would be the Bobcats best opportunity for the come from behind victory. Trailing 4-1, runs by Pounds and Jacob would bring UPG within one at 4-3, but three straight outs would silence the rally.
Becker would add one run in the top of the seventh and close out the game with a 5-3 victory.
Cory Deighan (Bethel Park, PA, Seton-La Salle) was charged with the loss, despite allowing just 2 earned runs and striking out five batters in 6.1 innings pitched. Dodson and
Brandon Rowland (Greensburg, PA, Greensburg Salem) would make relief appearances on the mound with Rowland collecting the final two outs on two strikeouts.
Lynn, Jacob, and Pounds would all finish game 2 with two hits and a run scored. Jacob and Pounds would also add a RBI apiece.
Pitt-Greensburg will face Wittenberg tomorrow for a single nine inning game at Chain of Lakes Park in Winterhaven, FL at 3:30pm.
