MANSFIELD, Pa. – The Lock Haven baseball team won a slugfest in game one, 12-11, before taking game two behind strong pitching, 4-1, to earn a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division sweep over Mansfield on the road on Sunday (April 28).
With the sweep, the Bald Eagles (10-31, 7-21 PSAC East) take three-of-four games from the Mounties (14-28, 7-21 PSAC East) to win the season series.
Game 1 Recap: Lock Haven 12, Mansfield 11 (9 Innings)
The Bald Eagles outlasted the Mounties in game one thanks to a pair of huge innings offensively and clutch extra-inning pitching.
The Haven opened the scoring with two runs in the first, before erupting for four runs in the top of the third to lead 6-2.
However, the Mounties scored twice in the bottom half of the inning, before putting up a six spot in the bottom of the fifth to take their first lead, 10-6.
The Bald Eagles, however, weren't done there. With their backs against the wall, the Bald Eagles rallied for five runs in the top of the seventh, highlighted by a homer by
Greg Cristino (Haddonfield, N.J./Haddonfield Memorial) to regain the lead, 11-10.
The Mounties battled back during their final three outs to tie the game at 11-11, sending game one into extras.
In the top of the ninth,
Lance Baldensperger (Warren, Pa./Warren) drew a walk with the bases loaded to plate
Joseph DeSiena (Jacksonville, Fla./Atlantic Coast) as the eventual game-winning run.
Rylan Bailey (Lewistown, Pa./Mifflin County) took over in the top of the eighth and did not allow a run during the extra innings to earn his first victory of the season.
Kevin Worek (Huntingdon Valley, Pa./Abington) got the start for Lock Haven and allowed two earned runs over 3 and 2/3 innings of work, adding two strikeouts.
The Bald Eagles racked up nine hits in the contest and were led by Cristino, who finished 3-for-6 with four RBIs, two runs scored and a home run.
Jaxson Pupo (Lewistown, Pa./Mifflin County) and
Zachary McEllroy (Emmaus, Pa./Emmaus) each drove in two runs, while McEllroy added a double.
Baldensburger (2B),
Nick White (Halethorpe, Md./Lansdowne) and DeSiena also drove in runs for Lock Haven.
Game 2 Recap: Lock Haven 4, Mansfield 1
Andrew Kramer (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa) threw a complete-game gem to lead the Bald Eagles to a 4-1 victory in the nightcap to clinch the sweep on the afternoon.
Kramer allowed just one run on three hits, while striking out a game-high five hitters in seven innings of work to earn his first victory.
Lock Haven got its bats going in the top of the third inning when they plated two runs to take an early lead. McEllroy and Cristino continued to provide a punch in the heart of the Lock Haven lineup and each drove in a run during the rally.
Cam Gracey (Spring Grove, Pa./Elementary Education) knocked in the third Bald Eagles' run in game two in the top of the fourth to extend the lead to 3-0.
The Mounties broke through with a solo run in the bottom of the fourth, but the Bald Eagles erased those efforts in the top of the seventh.
McEllroy concluded his big day by going 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Gracey and Cristino also drove in runs. DeSiena and Baldensberger added doubles.
Up Next for Lock Haven:
The Bald Eagles kick off their final PSAC East series of the season on the road on Thursday, May 2 when they travel to Shepherd at 1 p.m. (DH).
