FORT PIERCE, Fl. - Scoring a season-high 13 runs, the Penn State Behrend baseball team cruised past Western Connecticut State 13-2 in the finale of the eight-game Florida trip. The Lions (6-2) knocked 18 hits including eight doubles.
With the game tied at one, Behrend pushed across seven runs in the top half of the fifth inning. With runners on first and third and one out, Corey Bowers (Westlake, OH/Westlake) doubled down the left field line to score both runners putting the Lions ahead 3-1. After a Brandon Bergstrom (Pittsburgh/North Allegheny) RBI single, and a Taylor Overby (Nazareth, PA/Bethlehem Catholic) RBI sacrifice, Anthony Faulk, (Blairsville, PA/Blairsville) John Hlavinka (Venetia, PA/Peters Township) and Brian Bohman (Erie, PA/McDowell) hit three straight doubles with two outs to add on three more runs. Bergstrom finished with a career high four hits in four chances and drove in three runs.
Behrend added four more runs in the sixth inning and took a commanding 12-1 lead. Nathan Junk (Cabot, PA/Knoch) and Hlavinka had RBI hits in the inning.
Hlavinka had three-hit day with two RBI's and also scored a run. Bohman, Ryan Finnegan, (Fombell, PA/Riverside) David Boehme, (Venetia, PA/Seton-La Salle) Bowers and Junk all had two hits apiece.
Jack Herzing (St. Marys, PA/Elk County Catholic) picked up his second victory of the season on the hill throwing six strong innings. Herzing allowed just one run and struck out four while allowing just five hits and one walk. Tyler Geer (Waterford, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) and Boehme came on in relief and shut the door for the Lions sixth win of the season.
Behrend will have a week off before traveling to Dickinson for a doubleheader next Saturday. The first game will begin at 1:00 p.m.
