Penn State Behrend finished off Penn State Altoona with a 7-2
win in the 2009 AMCC Baseball Championship on Sunday, May 10 to
claim back-to-back conference titles. With the championship,
Behrend earns the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament
and will compete at a region to be determined.
Behrend entered the day needing one win on its home field to clinch
the title, while Altoona faced the daunting task of having to take
two in a row from the Behrend Lions. Starting pitchers Fran
Haus (Wexford/North Allegheny) for Behrend, and Kevin Obermeier
looked solid early as both pitchers got through the first two
innings without giving up a run.
In the bottom of the third, Jon Gray (State College/State College)
led off and slapped a ball to the rightside of the infield.
The junior centerfielder's blazing speed forced a hurried throw by
Altoona's third baseman, as Gray officially reached on an
error. He stole second where he remained until RBI machine
David Miller (St. Marys/St. Marys) singled him in for the first
score of the game, putting Behrend up 1-0.
Altoona bounced back to grab a lead in the top of the fourth
inning. The visitors loaded the bases with one out and RJ
Barnard scored on an error to tie the game at 1-1. Tyler
Stiffler followed with a single which scored Grady Luzier and Penn
State Altoona climbed in front 2-1. Behrend's Haus got a
strikeout and a groundout to get out of the inning without any more
damage.
The Behrend bats responded in the fifth inning as Miller and Dustin
Dubensky (Punxsutawney/Punxsutawney) were aboard with
two outs when Geoff Lang (Pittsburgh/North Allegheny) singled both
home for a 3-2 advantage.
In the sixth Rich Doyle (Pittsburgh/North Allegheny) led off with a
single as Behrend loaded the bases with no outs. Doyle scored
off Eddie Kessler's (Bethel Park/Bethel Park) single and Harry
Latta (Waterford/Fort LeBoeuf) scored on a passed ball as Behrend
boosted its lead to 5-2 after six innings.
Altoona had two runners aboard in the seventh before Haus got a
groundball that turned into a key 6-4-3 double play to end the
threat. Behrend added a sixth run in the seventh and made it
7-2 with a run in the eighth inning. Ben Cain (Venetia/Peters
Township) pitched the final one and a third innings, getting a
groundout for the final out, kicking off a jubilant pileup.
Haus was outstanding in getting the win for the Behrend Lions,
pitching seven and two thirds innings with three strikeouts,
scattering seven hits, with two runs, neither of them earned.
Miller was 2-for-5 with three RBIs, while Lang was 2-for-5 with two
RBIs.
Behrend now awaits word on when and where they will compete in the
NCAA Tournament. Regional assignments will be released on
Monday, May 11.
March 20, 2009
Q & A With Behrend Baseball Coach Paul Benim
March 17, 2009
Geoff Lang Named Enterprise RENT-A-CAR Athlete of the Week
February 26, 2009
D3baseball.com Selects Behrend Lions to Repeat as AMCC Champs
February 2, 2009
2009 Behrend Lions Baseball Season Preview