Offense Comes to Life in PSUGA Sweep of Doubleheader
The PSUGA Baseball team picked up two big wins in doubleheader action defeating Hazleton 15-5 and 6-3. Dylan Ernst went 4-8 between the two teams with 8 RBI and Matt Givler picked up a complete game victory in game 2 striking out three and walking three.
Myrtle Beach, SC – Hitting was contagious for the Penn State Greater Allegheny Baseball Team (2-2, 0-0) on Wednesday as they swept Penn State Hazleton in doubleheader action winning by scores of 15-5 and 6-3. After not doing much of anything against Chatham on Tuesday, the offense combined for 11 runs on 25 hits between the two contests.
Game 1 saw the PSUGA offense jump on Hazleton early for five runs in the top of the 2nd inning. Josh Arroyo (Toa Alta, Puerto Rico/Levvittown Baptist Academy) would double to lead off the inning and Pedro Escobar (Aguadilla, Puerto Rico/Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy) brought him home with the first of three RBI to give PSUGA a 1-0 lead. David West (Hempfield, Pa./Hempfield) would follow with his first PSUGA hit and RBI to give PSUGA a two run advantage.
Marcos Lopez (Caglas, Puerto Rico/Ramey) would drive in the third run of the day with an RBI single and Dylan Ernst (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) capped off the inning with a two RBI Double to give them a 5-0 advantage. After Hazleton scored three runs in the bottom of the 2nd, PSUGA responded with a run of their own as Escobar drove in his second run of the day with a single into right.
The nail would officially be put in the coffin in the top of the 4th when Hazleton walked the first three batters and brought Ernst to the plate with no outs and the bases loaded. He would promptly hit a laser shot to left-center field to bring home all three runners and give PSUGA a 9-4 advantage. They would add five more runs in the top of the 6th to put the mercy rule in place and give PSUGA the win.
The offense would come on later in game two, as Hazleton held a 2-0 advantage through the first five innings. After Adam Jacko (North Versailles, Pa./East Allegheny) and Escobar delivered back-to-back RBI singles, Ernst would once again come through giving PSUGA their first advantage of the day with a two RBI triple that put them ahead 4-2. Zack Pollack (Cecil, Pa./Cannon-McMillan) finished off the inning driving in Ernst with an RBI single.
Matt Givler (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) was dominant in his first start in a PSUGA uniform going the complete seven innings giving up three runs, two earned, on seven hits while walking three and striking out three on his way to earning the win. Dan Daly (Glassport, Pa./South Allegheny) earned the win in game one going the complete six innings giving up five runs, four earned, on 10 hits walking 1 and striking out 11.
The sweep of the doubleheader puts PSUGA back in good position evening up their record heading into the third day of their Myrtle Beach trip. They are once again in doubleheader action as they take on Lackawanna College at 10 a.m. and Catholic University’s JV squad at 3:30 p.m.