ERIE, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend baseball team wrapped up the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) regular season with a sweep of Medaille. The Lions took game one 7-1, before defeating the Mavericks, 9-2.
With the two victories, Behrend has earned a first-round bye and the No. 2 seed in the AMCC playoffs.
In game one, Mike Moyer (Clearfield, PA/Clearfield) was brilliant on the bump for the Lions. After giving up an unearned run in the second, Moyer only allowed four hits the rest of the game to earn his fifth victory of the season.
Behrend opened up with single runs in each of the first three innings. Matt Bittner (Lancaster, NY/St. Mary's) and Ryan Kragnes (Bethel Park, PA/Bethel Park) each hit RBI singles.
Now, with the Lions up 3-1 after four innings, Behrend put up back-to-back two spots on the board to take control. In the fifth, the Lions played small ball with Vinny Rice (Harmony, PA/Seneca Valley) and Joe Paterniti (Jamestown, NY/Jamestown) each laying down sacrifice bunts that not only advanced a runner to second, but also plated a run.
In the sixth, Bittner tripled off the wall in left center to push two more across. Moyer did not need many runs though. The junior hurler went the distance and shut the door on Medaille in the seventh.
In game two, the first three innings proved to be the big difference. Behrend scored two in the first, four in the second, and three in the third for all of their scoring. After, hitting a two-run triple in the second, Bittner left the yard in the third for his third, fourth , and fifth RBIs of the game.
Sitting with a comfortable lead, Justin Wood (Alleghany, NY/Alleghany-Limestone) make quick work of the Maverick hitters. Wood did not allow a single earned run in 5.2 innings of work to earn his second win of the year. Together, Jory Okerlund (Smethport, PA/Smethport) and Matt Parnes (Cranberry Township, PA/Seneca Valley) finished the final 1.1 innings without allowing a hit.
Bittner led the Lions with a huge day at the plate. The junior went 4-for-6 with eight RBIs and four runs scored in the doubleheader.
Behrend will be back on the diamond tomorrow at Allegheny. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.
