NEW CONCORD, Ohio – The Penn State Behrend baseball team swept Muskingum 6-5 and 8-0 in a non-conference doubleheader on Sunday.
In the opener, Evan Bukowski (Washington, PA/Trinity) went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs and an RBI, while James Verona (Murrysville, PA/Franklin Regional) was 2-for-3 for the Lions (7-3). Ryan Jacobs (Port Vue, PA/South Allegheny) produced the win on the mound in four innings of work and striking out five, and Chad Zurat (Clearfield, PA/Clearfield) earned the save.
After getting on the board in the top of the second, Behrend added three more runs in the third. Matt Bittner doubled to right center for his only hit of the game to put John Hlavinka (Venetia, PA/Peters Township) on third. Bukowski's single knocked in Hlavinka and Bittner scored on Alex Margraf's (Erie, PA/McDowell) ground out. Bukowski reached home on a single by Verona to give the Lions a 4-0 lead.
In the fourth, Ryan Kragnes (Bethel Park, PA/Bethel Park) singled to send in Jordan Weinzierl (St. Marys, PA/St. Marys) before adding another run off Bittner's fielder's choice and a throwing error.
The Muskies put up three runs in the sixth but were unable to get the tying run across the plate in the seventh.
In the nightcap, Dante DeSantis (DuBois, PA/Dubois Central Catholic) pitched six innings, allowed just six hits and struck out five for his second win on the hill. Bittner brought out the bat in the second game, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and his first long ball of the season.
Taylor Overby (Nazareth, PA/Bethlehem Catholic) and Josh Barbara (Pittsburgh, PA/Fox Chapel) added two hits apiece in the win.
Behrend scattered eight runs over seven innings, plating five in the second.
Bittner smacked the home run in the top of the fifth for a 7-0 lead. The final run came in the sixth when Overby singled and then scored on a double by Kragnes.
The Lions return to action on Thursday in their home opener against Waynesburg. The first pitch is at 1 p.m.