STEUBENVILLE, Pa. – Matt Bittner went 5-for-9 at the plate, scoring one run and ushering in three batters to help the Penn State Behrend Lions baseball team get the best of Franciscan, Saturday, in a two-game conference series, winning, 4-3 and 21-3.
The Lions (8-3) were held scoreless for the opening three innings of game one. With two outs in the top of the fourth, Blake Pavlik smacked a double to center field. Pavlik was then brought home by Ryan Giebel's single to right field to give Behrend a 1-nil lead.
After a Barons (1-8) score, the Lions struck again in the top of the 7th, this time from a Jay Condit solo home-run to make the lead 2-1. Franciscan would follow up with another run in bottom of the seventh, thanks to a Pontarelli sacrifice fly to center field that scored Penate, 2-2.
A two-run eighth inning sealed the deal for Behrend. The charge was led by Eddie Kessler who reached first base on an error. With no outs, Geoff Lang stepped to the plate for the RBI-triple. Next up was Bittner who singled to left-center which brought home Lang, 4-2.
The Lions defense held the Barons to one run in the final inning to win the front end of the double header, 4-3.
Chad Zurat earned the win by relieving Ryan Jacobs after six innings of work. Jacobs finished the afternoon allowing two earned runs while sitting down four batters.
In game-two action, Behrend had the hot bats. The Lions (9-3) made 15 hits on 35 attempts and scored 21 runs in the blowout.
Evan Bukowski led Behrend with four runs while Kyle Kline and Pavlik each had three. The Lions overpowered the Franciscan pitching staff crushing four doubles en route to a 21-3 win.
The Lions saw great pitching from Ryan Zamiskie, Mike Moyer and Matt Parnes. Zamiskie got the win after going four innings allowing only two earned runs from three hits. Moyer threw for two shut-out innings, striking out three batters.
Behrend will return to action March 29 at Fredonia State. Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m.
