Pitt-Greensburg continued AMCC Tournament play in dominant fashion Thursday afternoon, rolling to a 10-2 victory over Hilbert at Sargent's Stadium in Johnstown to advance to the winners bracket semifinal against Penn State Behrend on Friday at 11 a.m. The Bobcats piled up 15 hits while Conner Burkey tossed a complete game on the mound to help secure the opening-round win. During the outing, Burkey also became Pitt-Greensburg's all-time career strikeout leader.
The Bobcats wasted no time taking control, as William Somers launched a leadoff home run down the right field line in the top of the first inning to give Pitt-Greensburg an early 1-0 advantage.
Pitt-Greensburg broke the game open in the second inning with a four-run frame. Josh Preston started the rally with a double before Jonah Marks singled him to third. Colby Rearick followed with an RBI single to extend the lead to 2-0. After a sacrifice bunt from Hunter Gideons moved runners into scoring position, Somers delivered again with a two-run single to right field. Moments later, a throwing error by the Hilbert catcher allowed Somers to score and push the lead to 5-0.
The Bobcats continued the offensive pressure in the third inning. Preston singled and Marks doubled to put two runners in scoring position before Gideons drove in a run with an RBI single. Later in the inning, Neo Miller reached on a Hilbert error that brought home another run and extended the advantage to 7-0.
Burkey kept Hilbert off balance throughout the afternoon, working around traffic in the early innings and stranding multiple runners in scoring position. The right-hander escaped a bases-loaded threat in the third inning by inducing a foul out to end the frame.
Pitt-Greensburg added two more runs in the fifth inning on one of the game's most exciting plays. Rearick doubled to left before Gideons blasted an inside-the-park two-run home run to right-center field, stretching the lead to 9-0.
Hilbert scored twice in the bottom of the fifth, but Burkey limited the damage and quickly settled back in. The Bobcats answered immediately in the seventh when Marks tripled to right-center and scored on a Rearick RBI groundout to cap the scoring at 10-2.
Burkey earned the complete-game victory, allowing just two runs — one earned — on nine hits while striking out five over nine innings. He needed only 99 pitches to finish the outing while cementing his place atop the program's career strikeout list.
At the plate, Marks finished 3-for-5 with three runs scored, while Preston also collected three hits. Somers drove in three runs and scored twice, and Gideons went a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBIs, including the inside-the-park home run. Rearick added two hits and three RBIs in the victory.
With the win, Pitt-Greensburg advances to the AMCC winners bracket semifinal and will face Penn State Behrend on Friday at 11 a.m.
