By: Frank Maira, Assistant Director of Athletics/Sports Information Director
BUTLER, Pa. – The Penn State Mont Alto baseball team had their chances, but fell just short with Penn State Greater Allegheny earning home field advantage in the First Round of the PSUAC Tournament with its 4-3 win over PSUMA on Monday.
PSUGA came back from a 3-1 deficit and scored the eventual game-winning run in the top of the seventh inning as they were powered by a complete game performance from Luke Padezan who earned his first win of the season on the mound.
Greater Allegheny plated home the opening run in the top of the third inning when Adam Jacko grounded into a fielder's choice. Mont Alto scored all three of its runs within the bottom of the fourth inning. Chance McClure (Chambersburg, Pa. / Chambersburg Area) got the inning started with line drive single and scored on a Jeremiah Younker (Hagerstown, Md. / Williamsport) RBI single. Hunter Martin (Hagerstown, Md. / North Hagerstown) drove in Nick Jacoby on a sacrifice fly as Younker scored on a wild pitch to give PSUMA the 3-1 lead.
Jacko poked an RBI single up the middle of the field off starter Lowell Singer (Newville, Pa. / Big Spring) cutting the Mont Alto lead to just one run. PSUGA tied it up when Zach Craven delivered a ground ball through the left side that brought home courtesy runner Matt Smith.
Greater Allegheny scored what ended up being the game-winning run in the top of the seventh when Marcos Lopez advanced to third on a fielder's choice and scored on an errant throw.
Jeremiah Younker (Hagerstown, Md. / Williamsport) and Chance McClure (Chambersburg, Pa. / Chambersburg Area) each went 2-for-4 in the loss as shortstop Colby Black (Shippensburg, Pa. / Big Spring) also managed a pair of hits.
The first round of the PSUAC Tournament is slated for Friday, April 27 with PSUGA earning home field advantage as the No. 2 seed in the PSUAC West with today's win.
However, Mont Alto (14-15, 8-5 PSUAC) is slated to finish off its regular season schedule with a road doubleheader at Penn State New Kensington on Tuesday beginning at 2 p.m.