By: Frank Maira, Assistant Director of Athletics/Sports Information Director
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Penn State Mont Alto baseball team opened the 2018 season on the road on Sunday and were upended by Apprentuice Builders in both games losing a 3-0 affair before falling 14-0 in the nightcap of the doubleheader.
The first game was evenly played with the Builders carrying a 1-0 lead through most of the matchup before scoring a pair of insurance runs in the fourth inning. The Builders offense exploded for 14 runs in the second game for the 14-0 victory.
The Apprentice School 3, Penn State Mont Alto 0 (F)
- A base hit by Maxwell Brumfield in the bottom of the first brought home Dayne Dye to give The Apprentice School the 1-0 lead.
- Lowell Singer (Newville, Pa. / Big Spring) turned in a strong performance on the mound despite taking the loss. The junior worked a scoreless second and third innings before he gave up a two-run double in the fourth stanza. Singer struck out four as Spencer Meyers (Greencastle, Pa. / Greencastle Antrim) and Nick Jacoby (Shippensburg, Pa. / Shippensburg) each came out of the bullpen to throw a scoreless inning in relief.
- Luke Schanback earned his first victory of the season for The Apprentice School silencing the Mont Alto lineup as he only gave up two hits and struck out nine.
- Jeremiah Younker (Hagerstown, Md. / Williamsport), Jack Dubyak (Charles Town, W. Va. / Washington), and Landon Richards (McConnellsburg, Pa. / McConnellsburg) managed the three hits for PSUMA, each of which were singles.
The Apprentice School 14, Penn State Mont Alto 0 (F)
- Colin Osborne (Williamsport, Md. / Williamsport) lasted just two innings in his start, giving up five runs including three unearned runs. Tyler Berkheimer (Carlisle, Pa. / Carlisle) and Zach Barnhart (Shippensburg, Pa. / Shippensburg) didn't fare much better in relief with the Builders scoring two or more runs through the first five innings to build its 14-0 lead.
- William LaRussa (Arnold, Md. / Broadneck) was the lone pitcher for PSUMA to work an inning unscathed. The sophomore southpaw walked two and struck out two.
- Mont Alto tried to get things going on the base paths with Colby Black (Shippensburg, Pa. / Shippensburg) and Hunter Martin (Hagerstown, Md. / North Hagerstown) each managing a steal.
- Mike Brumfield went 4-for-4 with three RBI's for the Builders.
- Mathew Jensen picked up his first win of the season with five scoreless innings. The left-hander scattered five hits and struck out four.
The Nittany Lions return to action this weekend when they travel to Southern Virginia University for a pair of games on Saturday, February 24. First pitch for the doubleheader against the Knights is slated for 12 p.m.