ERIE, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend baseball team fell to Washington and Jefferson 7-4 in non-conference action on Sunday afternoon.
A big third inning proved to be the difference with the Presidents plating five runs.
The Lions (26-10) jumped out to a quick lead with a run in the second. Matt Bittner (Lancaster, NY/St. Mary's) came around to score after starting the inning with a walk and a stolen base.
The momentum shifted in favor of Washington and Jefferson in the third though. The Presidents scored five runs on four hits to take a 5-1 lead.
In the bottom half of the third, John Hlavinka (Venetia, PA/Peters Township) ripped an RBI double to cut the deficit to just three. The two teams matched each other with a single run apiece in the fourth as the Presidents had a 6-3 lead heading into the seventh. Washington and Jefferson added an insurance run in the top of the seventh and hung on for the 7-4 victory.
Jordan Weinzierl (St. Marys, PA/St. Marys) led the offense with two hits and one run scored. Both Matt Parnes (Cranberry Township, PA/Seneca Valley) and Mike Moyer (Clearfield, PA/Clearfield) threw an inning of scoreless relief for Behrend.
The Lions are next scheduled to host Pitt-Greensburg on Thursday at 12 p.m. in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Championship Tournament.