GREENSBURG, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend baseball team split their Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) opener with Pitt-Greensburg Saturday afternoon, losing game one 3-2 and winning game two 7-5.
In their win, the Lions (12-6, 1-1) scored two runs in the eighth and shut the Bobcats (11-9, 3-1) down in the final two innings to secure the victory.
John Hlavinka (Venetia, PA/Peters Township) and Matt Wolczko (Apollo, PA/Kiski) each went 3-for-5 in the victory. Hlavinka and Brandon Bergstrom (Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny) each tallied two RBIs and Ian Taylor (Wexford, PA/Vincentian Academy) notched his 11th RBI on his 12th hit of the season.
Behrend scored a run in all but three innings. They score one in the first, second, fourth, fifth and sixth before a two spot in the eighth that gave them the win.
After Greensburg tied the game at five in the bottom of the seventh, the Lions answered right back in the top half of the eighth. David Boehme (Venetia, PA/Seton-Le Salle) singled to right field and John Brittner (Zelienople, PA/Seneca Valley) pinch ran.
Taylor grounded into a fielder's choice and reached first. Justin Foreman (Oakdale, PA/South Fayette) walked and Bergstrom stepped und doubled, scoring the big two runs. Eric Mikulan (Pittsburgh, PA/Hampton) finished the final two of his four inning relief appearance shutting down the bobcat hitters and secured his team-leading fourth win of the season.
Mikulan surrendered two hits and struck out four while Justin Rohrer (Harrisburg, PA/Central Dauphin) started with five innings of work, giving up four hits and striking out six.
In game one, Brian Bohman (Erie, PA/McDowell) hit a perfect 4-for-4 and Scott Sada (Saegertown, PA/Saegertown) added two more hits in four at bats. Hlavinka scored a game-high two times.
Phil Myers (DuBois, PA/DuBois Central Catholic) got the nod to start and picked up the no decision in 4.2 innings of work surrendering two hits, two walks and a run while striking out three. Brandon Smail (Apollo, PA/Kiski Area) threw 1.1 innings of relief, giving up two runs, one earned, on two hits and struck out two.
Behrend scored a run in the first and third to take a 2-0 lead. Pitt-Greensburg answered with one in the fifth and an error and double plated two in the sixth to seal the win in the seven inning contest.
The Lions travel to Pitt-Bradford on Tuesday for a double header at 1 and 4 p.m.
