Baseball Splits Two with Frostburg, Remains Atop AMCC Standings
The Penn State Behrend baseball team hosted the Frostburg Bobcats on Sunday, April 20. Behrend came into the day undefeated in conference play and looked to add two more to the wins column. The Behrend Lions came away on top in game one 4-2, but would fall to the Bobcats 7-2 in their second game.
In the first inning of play, pitcher David Koerbel (Pittsburgh/Central Catholic) set the stage for the Behrend Lions, as he struck out three of the first five batters he faced. The blue and white began generating some offense in the bottom of the third when Adam Martin (Rochester/Rochester) singled with runners on first and second Geoff Lang (Pittsburgh/Allegheny) stepped up next and hit a shot past the first baseman for a single, bringing Dustin Dubensky (Punxsutawney/Punxsutawney) home and giving the Behrend Lions a 1-0 lead. The Bobcats tried to respond in the fourth, but Koerbel proved too tough as he recorded his eighth and ninth strikeouts of the game. Behrend kept its offensive momentum into the fourth, as Ryan Liddle (DuBois/DuBois) singled and advanced to second on a passed ball. Josh Fyffe (Fredonia/Sharpsville) reached first on a shortstop error and went on to steal second, putting runners on second and third for Martin. Martin ripped a single to left field, adding two more runs to the blue and white lead. The men would end the fourth up 3-0 over the Bobcats. The Behend Lions continued to add to their lead in the fifth when Liddle doubled, bringing in one run and securing a 4-0 lead into the sixth. Frostburg battled back in the seventh, scoring two runs, but the blue and white would hold on to win game one 4-2. Koerbel received the win, striking out nine batters faced and only giving up nine hits.
The blue and white began game two of the double-header much like the first. Pitcher Andrew Chrobak (New Castle/Laurel) got the Behrend Lions started, striking-out his first two batters faced. Jon Gray (State College/State College) led off for the men, smacking a double to left field. Gray would steal third to put himself into scoring position. Fyffe stepped to the plate to hit a sacrifice fly, bringing Gray home and putting the Behrend Lions up 1-0 early in the first. In the bottom of the second, Lang doubled and teammate Tom Pasinski (West Mifflin/West Mifflin) would step up to hit a sacrifice fly to bring Lang home and put the Behrend Lions up 2-0. The Bobcats answered with a pair of runs of their own in the third, tying the game at 2-2. Frostburg would get the go ahead run in the fourth, taking a 3-2 lead. The Bobcats would add four more runs in the sixth to take a commanding 7-2 lead as they headed into the bottom half of the inning. Behrend fought back by loading the bases late in the sixth, but could not capitalize. The Bobcats would go onto win game two 7-2, giving the Behrend Lions their first conference loss of the season.
The Behrend Lions (23-7,13-1) will rest tomorrow but return to the diamond on Tuesday, April 22 when they host the Allegheny Gators. The double-header is set to begin at 2:00 p.m. With only two games remaining in conference play, the men will travel to Hilbert College on Wednesday, April 23. Games will begin at 1:00 p.m.