March 15, 2016
Grove City tops Penn State Beaver
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- The Grove City College baseball team opened its 2016 home schedule Tuesday afternoon at Jack Behringer Field by pulling out a 14-8 non-conference victory over Penn State Beaver.
Five Grove City players scored at least twice and five Wolverines also knocked in at least two runs apiece. Sophomore center fielder Tyler Graham (Vandergrift, Pa./Kiski Area) paced the offense by going 3 for 3 with three runs scored and three stolen bases while sophomore shortstop Drew Landis (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion) also collected three hits and scored twice.
Junior first baseman Matt Waugaman (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) tripled, doubled and drove in three runs while senior DH Travis Royer (Elverson, Pa./Twin Valley) and freshman third baseman Micah Burke (Gilbert, Ariz./E.V.A.C.) each belted three-run doubles. Junior right fielder Nolan Myers (Landisville, Pa./Hempfield) doubled, singled and scored twice.
Penn State Beaver took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first but Royer's three-run double in the bottom half of the inning gave Grove City (5-3) its first lead of the game. Beaver tied the game in the top of the second but Waugaman's two-run double in the bottom of the second put Grove City ahead to stay.
Myers's two-run double and a two-run single by sophomore second baseman Cameron Smail (Vandergrift, Pa./Kiski Area) highlighted the Wolverines' five-run third inning.
Penn State Beaver (0-8) closed to within 11-8 in the bottom of the eighth but Burke broke open the game with his bases-clearing double.
Junior pitcher Ben Finlan (State College, Pa./State College) earned the win after pitching 5 2/3 innings. He struck out three. Junior reliever Cedric Hils (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) struck out four men over 2 1/3 innings while Burke threw a scoreless ninth.
Tuesday's game marked the earliest home opener, calendar-wise, since Grove City restarted varsity baseball in 1959.
Grove City (5-3) returns to Presidents' Athletic Conference play Saturday afternoon at archrival Geneva. The doubleheader in Beaver Falls, Pa., will start at noon.
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