Two-Run Ninth Helps Elizabethtown Down Behrend

Fort Pierce, FL – Elizabethtown scored two runs in the top of the ninth to get past the Penn State Behrend baseball team 5-3 in non-conference action on Monday afternoon.

After falling behind 1-0 early, the Lions (2-1) answered with single runs in the first and second to regain the lead.  Matt Bittner (Lancaster, NY/St. Mary's) singled in Ryan Kragnes (Bethel Park, PA/Bethel Park) to tie the game.  Kragnes followed up the next inning with an RBI double to drive in Joe Paterniti (Jamestown, NY/Jamestown) for the 2-1 lead.

Dante DeSantis (DuBois, PA/DuBois Central Catholic) kept the Blue Jays (2-1) off the scoreboard in the second, third, and fourth with four strikeouts.  With the bases loaded and one out in the fourth, Behrend got a crucial 1-2-3 double play to end the inning.

Elizabethtown came back with two runs in the fifth to take a 3-2 lead.  The Lions offense was quite for five innings until Ryan Geibel (East Butler, PA/Butler) came through with a clutch two-out single to score Kragnes, who led off the inning with a single and advanced to third on an error.

With the game tied at 3-all, the Blue Jays put two on the board in the top of the ninth and held Behrend scoreless in their last at bats to earn the victory.

Geibel and Kragnes each had two hits to lead the offensive attack.  DeSantis struck out six in 4.1 innings pitched.

The Lions will be back on the diamond tomorrow against No. 12 Alvernia.  First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.