BOX SCORE - GAME ONE

BOX SCORE - GAME TWO

PHOTO GALLERY

The Saint Vincent baseball team was defeated 4-1 in 13 innings by Washington & Jefferson College in the opening game of a Presidents' Athletic Conference doubleheader at Bearcat Field, then fell 7-6 in the nightcap.

The first game was a pitchers duel throughout, as SVC starter Gary Gerhardt and W&J starter Dave Truschel locked horns for the first 12 frames, before the Presidents took advantage of a three-run 13th to seal the win.

Gerhardt worked 11.0 innings, allowing one run on seven hits with a season-high 12 strikeouts, taking the no-decision, while Trushel went 12 innings, allowing one run on four hits with eight strikeouts to earn the win.

Pitching was the theme from the outset, as neither team posted a hit until the Presidents' Mark Lubline reached on an RBI infield single in the top of the fifth to give the visitors the 1-0 lead.  The damage could have been worse for the Bearcats, but Gerhardt induced a pop up to strand the bases loaded.

Saint Vincent answered right back in the bottom of the fifth.  Erik Fichter singled, and moved up 90 feet after Grant Krally was hit by a pitch.  Following a sacrifice bunt from Zach Bush, Fichter was plated on an RBI ground out from Joey Fearer to tie the game at 1-all.

The teams then combined for just seven hits over the next six innings, until the Presidents threatened in the top half of the 12th.  The Presidents finally chased Gerhardt after both runners reached to lead off the inning, but reliever Mike Tedesco came on to record three straight outs, stranding both baserunners.  

After a one-two-three bottom of the 12th, the Presidents did their damage in the 13th, scoring three runs on three hits, with one error.  With runners on first and third, W&J scored its first run of the inning following an errant SVC throw into centerfield, before the Presidents racked back-to-back sacrifice flies to take the 4-1 advantage.

The Bearcats looked to put together a two-out rally in the bottom of the 13th, with AJ Kavinsky singling and Joe Aul walking, but W&J reliever Jordan Zivoder got the final out via ground ball, earning the save and ending the marathon game.

The Bearcats managed just five hits for the game, led by Fichter and Kavinsky, who each went 2-for-5.   Tedesco took the loss, allowing one run on one hit in one inning pitched.

In game two, the Presidents jumped on Bearcat starter Matt Tyson early, scoring taking a 7-0 lead through two innings. 

Max Henry came on in relief of Tyson in the second, giving up one of those runs, then settled down and shut down the visitors.  Henry worked the next 4 2/3 innings and struck out six, while keeping W&J off the board.

Meanwhile, the offense came alive in the fourth inning.  After Zack Galasso doubled to lead off and AJ Kavinsky reached on a one-out error, Jack Shaffer doubled home both runners to cut the margin to 7-2.   Joey Fearer then singled home Shaffer to make the score 7-3.

In the sixth inning, Sean Stiffey led off with a single for the Bearcats, but was erased as part of a double play ball.  AJ Kavinsky hit the ball sharply up the middle, but W&J second baseman Adam Klinec made a nice backhand stop, flipped the ball from his glove hand to short, starting the double play.

It would prove to be the key play in the game, as the Bearcats then exploded for three consecutive doubles, by Shaffer, Eric Kubeja, and Fearer.  With the score 7-5, Brad Burkardt then singled home Fearer to make it 7-6, but it was as close as SVC would get, as Zivoder once again came on to record the save in the last inning.

With the losses, SVC falls to 8-17 on the year overall, 0-9 in the PAC.  The Presidents are now 5-1 in the conference, 9-11 overall.

The Bearcats return to action on Friday, hosting Thiel College in a 9-inning game, beginning at 3PM.