FREDONIA, N.Y. – The Penn State Behrend baseball team took home their second I-90 cup after defeating Fredonia 3-0 in their first meeting of the season Wednesday afternoon.
Last year was the first year of the rivalry the Lions (11-5) and Blue Devils (8-11) call the I-90 cup. Last season, the two teams split the series. Behrend won game one on April 2 by a score of 10-1 while Fredonia took game two 6-3 on April 29, both at Ludwig Field in New York.
The Lion pitching staff combined for their second team shutout of the season. Sean Rutkosky (Harborcreek, PA/Harbor Creek) picked up his first collegiate win in his first collegiate start, going 6.0 strong innings surrendering five hits and striking out three.
Brady Kress (Zelienople, PA/Seneca Valley) put in two-thirds of an inning with one hit and a walk. Scott Sada (Saegertown, PA/Saegertown) came in to finish the final 2.1 and earn his first collegiate save. Sada only gave up one hit and he struck out a batter as well.
It took three innings for someone to get on the board. Behrend had a golden opportunity in the top of the first to give themselves a favorable start, but they left the bases juiced and Fredonia was able to get out of a jam.
In the third, the Lions plated a run to take the lead. With two outs, Brian Bohman (Erie, PA/McDowell) walked and quickly stole second. David Boehme (Venetia, PA/Seton-Le Salle) singled him home in the next at bat.
In the sixth, Behrend added another run as Bohman and Boehme each reach base again with back-to-back singles. After a Blue Devil pitching change, Brandon Bergstrom (Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny) doubled to right center and drove in Boehme.
Sticking to their every three inning run support, the Lions put another insurance run on the board in the top of the ninth. Bergstrom knocked a single into center and Zach Murray (Pittsburgh, PA/Baldwin) laid down a sacrifice bunt to put him into scoring position. Matt Wolczko (Apollo, PA/Kiski) then stepped up and singled left to drive in Bergstrom.
Sada, Boehme and Bergstrom each finished the game with two hits with Boehme, Bergstrom and Wolczko each tallying an RBI. Sada moved into the team lead with a batting average of .459 and with his 28th hit of season and Boehme slipped into a tie with Bohman for a team-high 22 RBIs.
Behrend is back in action on Saturday in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Game of the Week at Pitt-Greensburg. First pitch of the double header is scheduled for 1 p.m.
