MARIETTA, OH – The Penn State Behrend baseball team traveled to Marietta Sunday afternoon, completing a come-from-behind 6-5 victory.
The Pioneers (21-16) steadily built their lead, scoring runs in the first, second, fifth, and sixth innings. However, the Lions' (21-17) big ninth inning was enough to hold on for the win.
With the score 4-2 in the top of the ninth, Behrend struck for four runs. The Lions were down to their final out before they rallied to take the two-run lead. John Brittner (Zelienople, PA/Seneca Valley) kept the game alive with a two-out pinch-hit single to left. Kyle Lewis (McMurray, PA/Peters Township) then singled to score Mason McGuire (Pittsburgh, PA/Upper St. Clair), who had reached earlier in the inning on a fielder's choice. Lewis moved to second after Justin Foreman (Oakdale, PA/South Fayette) drew a walk and then Zach Murray (Pittsburgh, PA/Baldwin) tied the game with a single to first, scoring Brittner.
Behrend then took the lead when Brandon Bergstrom (Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny) hit a two-strike single to score Lewis. The Lions completed the inning when Brian Bohman (Erie, PA/McDowell) singled to the right side to score Foreman and make the score 6-4.
Marietta put together a rally of their own in the bottom of the ninth, scoring a run with two outs to cut the Behrend lead to one. However, Scott Sada (Saegertown, PA/Saegertown) came in and struck the final Pioneer batter out to end the game.
The Lions had just two hits going in to the seventh where they ended up cutting Marietta's lead in half. Sada led off with a double down the left-field line. David Boehme (Venetia, PA/Seton-La Salle) then singled through the left side to make it first and third with no outs.
The next pitch, McGuire singled to score Sada. With one out, Boehme stole third and then advanced home on a groundout to second base.
Lewis went 2-for-4 with 2 RBI and one run scored to pace the offense. Bergstrom and Boehme also each added a pair of hits.
Erik Mikulan (Pittsburgh, PA/Hampton) earned the win on the mound and Sada picked up his fourth save of the year.
The next time Behrend hits the diamond will be when they travel to La Roche for the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Tournament. The Lions will play the winner of Pitt-Greensburg/Mount Aloysius in the 1 p.m. game this Thursday.
