FAYETTEVILLE, NC: After dropping their opener a night ago, the Pitt-Greensburg baseball team rebounded nicely on Sunday by defeating nationally ranked Frostburg State 4-3.
The victory improves the Bobcats to 1-2 on the early season while FSU picks up their first loss of the year and move to 5-1.
After three scoreless innings led of Sunday's contest, the Bobcats registered the game's first runs in the bottom of the fourth. With runners on second and third,
Jake Bulick (Sharpsville, PA, Sharpsville) delivered a single to center field to score
Matt Germanoski (Ellwood City, PA, Ellwood City) and advance
Dylan Pounds (Houston, PA, Chartiers-Houston)to third. This would open the door for a
Zack Zimmerman (Derry, PA, Derry) ground out to then score Pounds and set UPG atop a 2-0 lead.
Frostburg would get one back in the top of the sixth to cut the Bobcat lead in half at 2-1.
Some insurance would come in the eighth. With runners on first and second, Zimmerman laced a double to left field to bring Pounds in from second for his second run of the game.
Greg Lynn (Ellwood City, PA, Ellwood City) would step up next, sending a single to second base to score the Bobcats fourth run, extending their advantage to 4-1.
Those eighth inning runs would pay major dividends in the ninth with Frostburg adding a pair of runs in the game's final inning. Pitt-Greensburg would have to work themselves out of a jam in ninth. Clinging to a 4-3 advantage with one out, the Bobcats watched as FSU loaded the bases. Reliever
Dakota McWilliams (Connellsville, PA, Connellsville) prompted a ground ball hit to third baseman Germanoski, who went to catcher
Anthony Bozzuto (Greensburg, PA, Hempfield) for the force out at home. Bozzuto quickly turned to first base but was interfered with by a Frostburg runner heading for home, forcing the third and final out and securing the victory for Pitt-Greensburg.
The Bobcats picked up 11 hits on the day with Pounds leading the charge with a 3-3 performance including a walk and two runs scored. Bulick, Bozzuto, and Lynn also finished with multiple hits, each collecting two. Zimmerman rounded out the top performers with a team-high two RBIs.
Pounds finished off an impressive afternoon with a stellar outing on the mound. He'd pick up the win after giving Pitt-Greensburg 7.1 innings and allowing just one run on five hits while striking out four.
Ian Hart (Lititz, PA, Warwick) stepped up in relief of Pounds, allowing a run and collecting a strikeout in an inning of work.
Adam Dodson (Bethel Park, PA, Bethel Park) would also give up a run before making way for McWilliams to collect the final two outs on his way to his first save of his career.
The Bobcats head to sunny Puerto Rico as part of the Clemente Cup beginning next week. Pitt-Greensburg opens up action on Friday, March 4th against Penn State Abington in Aguadilla. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00pm.
