Hot Streak Continues For Lions
The Penn State Behrend baseball team swept their second conference doubleheader in as many days on Thursday, defeating Hilbert twice at Hawks Diamond.
HAMBURG, NY – The Penn State Behrend baseball team swept their second conference doubleheader in as many days on Thursday, defeating Hilbert twice at Hawks Diamond.
The Lions took game one, 8-2.
Behrend opened the scoring in the top of the second when Nathan Junk (Cabot, PA/Knoch) scored on a wild pitch. Moments later, Brian Bohman (Erie, PA/McDowell) singled home Tommy Kocur (Erie, PA/McDowell) to put the Lions in front, 2-0.
After the Hawks recorded a run in the bottom of the fourth, Behrend struck for three in both the fifth and sixth innings respectively to put the contest away.
First, Junk doubled home Alex Margraf (Erie, PA/McDowell) with one down in the fifth. Then, Matt Wolczko (Apollo, PA/Kiski) came through with a clutch two-run single that increased the Lions lead to 5-1.
Behrend wasn't done, though, as with two down in the sixth, Casey Kern (Monroeville, PA/Gateway) smacked an RBI single to right. After Brandon Bergstrom (Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny) walked, Kocur drilled a two-run single which capped off the scoring for the Lions.
Pitcher Justin Wood (Allegany, NY/Allegany Limestone) threw his first career complete game for the Lions, as the junior went seven strong innings while striking out eight.
Behrend was victorious in game two, 5-3.
Margraf put the Lions (21-11, 9-3 AMCC) on the board in the top of the first with an RBI single to left-center. After a Hawks error which resulted in another Behrend run, the Lions led 2-0.
In the bottom of the inning, Hilbert (4-24, 1-13 AMCC) scored three times to take the lead.
It proved to be their only runs of the contest.
After three scoreless frames, Jordan Weinzierl (St. Mary's, PA/St. Mary's) scored Bohman in the top of the fifth on an RBI groundout which knotted-up the contest.
The game remained tied until the seventh. John Hlavinka (Venetia, PA/Peters Township) led things off with a double. After a Weinzierl ground-out, Margraf nailed perhaps his biggest hit of the season, doubling home Hlavinka to put the Lions in front, 4-3.
Later in the inning, Kocur drew a bases loaded walk, giving Behrend valuable insurance.
Connor Semple (Washington, PA/McGuffey) retired the Hawks in order in the seventh to preserve the victory for the Lions. The junior earned the win in the process, striking out four in two shutout innings of relief work.
Behrend will host Pitt-Greensburg for a doubleheader on Saturday, April 26, beginning at 2 p.m.