GREENSBURG- Trailing 5-4 entering the bottom of the ninth inning, back-to-back solo home runs by
Tyler Holland and
Chris Common lifted the Pitt-Greensburg baseball team to a dramatic walk-off 6-5 victory over Penn State Behrend, Friday afternoon at Bobcat Park.
Pitt-Greensburg took the opening game of the day 4-3, behind a great pitching performance from
Billy Elliott, who went 5.2 inning, giving up just six hits and striking out five.
Dylan Pounds was called on for the four out save and the senior did not allow a hit in an inning and a third and struck out two, to earn his fourth save of the year.
Pounds now owns the Pitt-Greensburg record for most career saves (9) as well as the most saves in a single season (4).
This was the first sweep of Behrend by Pitt-Greensburg since the 2004 season.
Offensively, the Bobcats had the bats clicking all afternoon long, collecting on nine-extra base hits, five of which came via the long ball. As a team, Pitt-Greensburg had it all going on both sides of the baseball, as it posted a .339 batting average and recorded a 2.81 ERA.
Pounds batted a team-high .571 Â with four hits and two runs, and not far behind the senior infielder, were both Common and Holland, who each posted an even .500 average at the plate. Common and Holland each drilled two home runs on the afternoon and drove in five and three runs respectively.
Game 1- Penn State Behrend 3, Pitt-Greensburg 4
Elliott gave the Bobcats momentum in the top of the first, as the senior hurler sent down the Lions 1-2-3 and in the bottom, Common drilled a three-run no doubt home run over the left field fence to put Pitt-Greensburg up 3-0. All three runs came with two outs for the Bobcats.
Ryan Dodson drilled a double off the right field fence and
Holland showed great disciple at the plate, drawing a walk after a nine-pitch at-bat.
Penn State Behrend would come right back in the second and get a run back on a sacrifice fly.
The Bobcats added another run in the scoring column in the third, as Holland drilled a solo home run.
Behrend added a run in both the fourth and fifth, but Pounds was called on to pitch the final four outs, and the senior closer did not allow a hit in 1.1 innings and sent the Bobcats to the 4-3 victory.
Game 2- Penn State Behrend 5, Pitt-Greensburg 6
In the second game of the day, Pitt-Greensburg got another great outing from its starter
Matt Mish, who went 5.2 innings, giving up just five hits and struck out two in a no-decision.
The Bobcats carried the momentum from the opening game into game two and would jump on top in the second, as
Mike Parlak drilled a solo bomb for the first run of the game.
Pitt-Greensburg was at it once again in the fifth, as Pounds collected a one-out single and advanced into scoring position with a steal of second base. Dodson followed Pounds with a single, and Common came through with a two-out base hit, which scored Pounds to put the Bobcats ahead 2-0 after five innings of action.
Penn State Behrend would not trail for long as it scored two runs in the sixth and added three more in the seventh.
The Bobcats would cut the deficit to one with two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Holland drilled a long double to center field which scored Pounds, and Parlak doubled down the left field line to score Holland.
Brandon Hoener came out to pitch the final three innings for Pitt-Greensburg and he allowed just one hit and was credited with his fourth win of the season.
Trailing by one, Pitt-Greensburg would score two runs in the ninth in dramatic fashion. Holland drilled a home run over the right field fence on the first pitch of the inning to tie the game at five, and just four pitches later, Common homered to right center to five the Bobcats the 6-5 walk-off win.
Pitt-Greensburg returns to action Tuesday, when it travels to Cresson, Pa to face Mt. Aloysius in a doubleheader scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. start.
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