FORT PIERCE, Fl – The Penn State Behrend baseball team swept a doubleheader against Martin Luther Tuesday afternoon in Fort Pierce, Florida. The Lions (3-1) took the first game 7-1 and then notched a two-run victory in game two winning 5-3.
In game one, Justin Wood (Allegany, NY/Allegany Limestone) threw six innings allowing just one hit and one run to pick up his first victory of the season. Wood struck out nine batters and surrendered only one walk. Tyler Geer (Waterford, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) threw a scoreless seventh inning to seal the victory.
Behrend plated three runs in the first inning to take the early advantage. John Hlavinka (Venetia, PA/Peters Township) led off the inning with a double and was brought home on an error to open up the scoring in the contest. Hlavinka finished the game with two hits and a walk.
Nathan Junk (Cabot, PA / Knoch) continued his strong start to the season driving in the Lions second run in the first inning. Junk went 1-for-2 with two RBI's.
Both teams added a run in the fourth inning, but a three-run fifth inning gave the Lions a six run cushion. Junk brought in a run on a groundout and Matt Wolczko (Apollo, PA/Kiski) provided a two-RBI double.
Three Behrend hitters had multiple hits. Brandon Bergstrom (Pittsburgh/North Allegheny) went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Ryan Finnegan (Fombell, PA/Riverside) also went 2-for-3 and scored two runs.
The Lions knocked in two runs in the first inning of game two off a David Boehme (Venetia, PA/Seton-La Salle) double to deep left field.
Taylor Overby (Nazareth, PA/Bethlehem Catholic) added a third run in the top of the second inning knocking in Corey Bowers (Westlake, OH/Westlake) who singled to start the inning.
Jack Herzing (St. Marys, PA/Elk County Catholic) threw six strong innings on the mound giving up two earned runs and striking out nine.
Bowers and Overby drove in runs in the top of the sixth to give Behrend a 5-2 lead with only six outs left for Martin Luther (1-8). The Knights were able to push across a run in the bottom of the seventh but failed to complete a comeback.
Jordan Weinzierl (St. Marys, PA/St. Marys) relieved Herzing to pitch the seventh and picked up the save striking out two Martin Luther batters. This was Weinzierl's first career appearance from the bump.
The Lions have an off-day Wednesday but return to action Thursday for a double-header against Bridgewater State. The first pitch is slated to come at 1:00 p.m.
