BOX SCORE - GAME ONE

BOX SCORE - GAME TWO

PHOTO GALLERY

VIDEO - GAME ONE

LATROBE (Mar. 23) - The Bearcats pounded out 12 hits and 12 runs in the first game to post a 12-0 win against Geneva before falling 9-5 in the nightcap in a Presidents' Athletic Conference-opening doubleheader at Bearcat Ballfield.

With the split, the Saint Vincent baseball team moves to 11-3 on the season and opens up PAC action 1-1. Geneva, who played Bethany in Florida in PAC action earlier this season, is now 3-2 in league play and 9-8 overall.

Junior lefty Jared Haller was excellent again, tossing a complete-game shutout for the second-straight start to improve to 2-0 on the year. He scattered seven hits and struck out four with just one walk. The 5-11 lefty from Anaheim, Calif., has now thrown 16.2 consecutive scoreless innings over his last four appearances (two starts; 2-0, 1 save).

The Bearcats started the scoring in the bottom of the second inning, posting two runs on two hits. Junior Grant Krally was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on a double by classmate Andrew Kozusko before both runners scored on a two-run double by senior catcher Erik Fichter.

In the third inning, SVC generated a run without getting the ball out of the infield. Junior shortstop Brad Burkardt led off with a walk, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by classmate Zach Bush and went to third when senior first baseman Mike Hustava reached on a strike-out wild pitch. Burkardt came in to score when Geneva starter Mike Jeffreys balked home the run.

SVC added two more runs in the fourth as Kozusko walked to lead off the inning and advanced on a single by Fichter. Junior third baseman Nick Beamenderfer reached on a bunt single to third base before sophomore Joey Fearer singled home Kozusko and Burkardt hit a sacrifice fly to left field to drive home Fichter, 5-0.

Saint Vincent erupted for five runs in the fifth inning when senior center fielder Zack Galasso tripled home Hustava, who singled to lead off the frame. Galasso would score when Kozusko reach on a strike-out wild pitch. After a Golden Tornadoes pitching change, Fearer ripped a two-run single before he scored on a wild pitch to cap off the scoring in the inning and make it a 10-0 game.

The Bearcats added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run double by Fichter. Fichter's double came after Galasso led off the inning with a double and Kozusko was hit by a pitch for the seventh time this season.

Fichter led the Bearcats, going 4-for-4 with two doubles, four RBI and two runs scored. Fearer and Galasso each finished 2-for-4 while Galasso had a double, triple and two RBI and Fearer had three RBI and a run scored.

In the second game, sophomore Max Henry started and gave up six runs (five earned) in just 1.1 innings. He allowed seven hits and record two strikeouts and two walks. Senior Jeremy Mains came on in relief and went 4.0 innings allowing two runs (both earned) and allowing four hits with three strikeouts and a walk. Sophomore Alex Kozusko pitched the final 1.2 innings allowing one run (earned) and two hits.

Geneva came out strong to start the game, scoring six runs over the first two innings to open up a 6-0 lead. SVC got on the board in the fourth inning when Galasso and Andrew Kozusko hit back-to-back homers to make it a 6-2 game. The Bearcats cut the game to three runs, 6-3, in the fourth inning when Burkardt, who doubled, scored on an RBI ground out by Hustava.

Geneva added three runs combined in the sixth and seventh innings to make it a 9-3 game heading into the bottom of the seventh. After Beamenderfer walked to lead things off, Burkardt belted his first career home run to left-center field to cut the deficit to 9-5. Geneva started Caleb Kilgore was about to retire the next two Bearcats to end the game.

Burkardt finished game two, 2-for-4 with an homer, double and two RBI and junior designated hitter Alonzo Vazquez recorded a 2-for-3 game at the plate.

The Bearcats and Golden Tornadoes will wrap up their three-game slate on Monday, Mar. 26 in Beaver Falls, Pa., with a single nine-inning game slated for a 3:30 p.m. first pitch.