March 19, 2016

Grove City humbles Geneva in conference twinbill

BEAVER FALLS, Pa. -- The Grove City College baseball team improved to 3-1 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference by taking both ends of a conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Geneva. Grove City earned a 6-1 win in the opener and then rolled to an 11-4 victory in Game Two at 33rd Street Field.

In the opener, freshman pitcher John Bini (Staten Island, N.Y./Xaverian) fired a two-hitter to help vault Grove City to victory. Bini allowed one earned run in seven innings while striking out a pair.

Grove City took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when junior first baseman Matt Waugaman (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) cracked a solo homer, his second clout of the season.

A two-run single by junior second baseman Brandon Gresh (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) pushed the lead to 3-0 in the second inning. He then walked with the bases loaded in the fourth inning, bringing home senior DH Travis Royer (Elverson, Pa./Twin Valley) with Grove City's fourth run.

Junior catcher Andy Fritz (Saxonburg, Pa./Knoch) led off the fifth with a double and then scored on a single from freshman third baseman Micah Burke (Gilbert, Ariz./E.V.A.C.). In the sixth, sophomore center fielder Tyler Graham (Vandergrift, Pa./Kiski Area) tripled and scored on a squeeze bunt by junior right fielder Nolan Myers (Landisville, Pa./Hempfield).

Grove City collected 15 hits in the nightcap as six men each had two hits. Gresh and Royer both doubled and singled while Burke, Fritz, Myers and Waugaman all singled twice. Sophomore shortstop Drew Landis (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion) tripled in the win.

Burke's two-run single in the first inning highlighted Grove City's four-run first inning. The Wolverines led 6-3 entering the sixth before breaking open the game with another four-run effort in the sixth.

Junior pitcher Cameron Lawson (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) earned the win by pitching into the sixth. He allowed two earned runs and three hits in 5 2/3 innings. Senior Kenny Saltsman (Salem, Ohio/Salem) pitched 1 1/3 innings of relief and yielded one run.

At 7-3, Grove City is off to its best start since the 2007 team won nine of its first 10 games.

Grove City will head to Auburndale, Fla., this week for a series of games during Easter Break.

Game One Box Score    Game Two Box Score

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