BOX SCORE - GAME ONE

BOX SCORE - GAME TWO

PHOTO GALLERY

VIDEO - GAME ONE

Jared Haller improved to 4-0 on the season after Andrew Kozusko's 6th inning home run lifted Saint Vincent to a 9-8 win, then Grant Krally's walkoff single gave SVC a 6-5, extra inning win as the team swept Waynesburg in a conference doubleheader.

Game one appeared as though it would be an easy win for the Bearcats, as they rolled to an 8-0 lead.  In the first, AJ Kavinsky led off the game with a single, then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Brad Burkardt.  Zack Galasso later drove home Kavinsky to make it 1-0.

The Bearcats broke the game open in the fourth inning, scoring seven times with two outs.  Mike Hustava and Alonzo Vazquez pulled off a double steal, with Hustava taking home to make it 2-0.  Vazquez, who had stolen second, then scored on a Joey Fearer single.  Later, with two runners on, Burkardt hit his second home run of the week, making the score 7-0.  An unearned run made the score 8-0 for SVC starter Gary Gerhardt.

However, the Yellow Jackets then came back with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, then completed the comeback by scoring six times in the sixth inning, chasing Gerhardt.  The key hits were a two-run double by Bobby Hartman, and a two-run single by Nick Berdine.

The Waynesburg celebration was short-lived, however, as Kozusko homered over the left field fence in the home half of the sixth inning.  Haller, who had come on in relief in the sixth, closed out the game for the Bearcat win. 

Kavinsky, Vazquez and Kozusko had two hits each in the game.  Gerhardt struck out seven in 5.2 innings, while Haller worked the final 1.1.

Erik Fichter took to the hill for SVC in game two, and kept the Jackets off balance, recording 15 fly outs among the 16 outs that he recorded in 5.1 innings, giving up just three hits.

The Bearcats gave him a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third, when Fearer led off with a single then stole second.  After Kavinsky walked, a double steal moved the runners up 90 feet.  Burkardt then walked to load the bases, and Kozusko was hit by a pitch - for the 8th time in 17 games this season - to score the game's first run.  Mike Hustava later grounded out but the play scored Kavinsky to make it 2-0.

SVC added a run in the fourth, when Steve Bayko, who had led off with a single, later scored on a single by Kavinsky.

In the visitors half of the sixth, Fichter walked a pair of batters and yielded a run on a single.  After Alex Kozusko came on in relief, a run-scoring groundout made it a one-run game, 3-2, but Kozusko got out of the inning and preserved the lead.

Disaster struck for the Bearcats in the top of the seventh, as Adam Horning delivered a Kozusko pitch over the fence in left to tie the game, 3-3.  Two batters later, Kyle Sasala hit a line drive home run to nearly the same spot, giving Waynesburg their first lead of the afternoon. 

In the bottom of the seventh, Kavinsky was hit by a pitch to lead off, putting the tying run on board.  Burkardt laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runner to second, and after a pitching change, a failed pickoff attempt sent the ball into center field, moving Kavinsky to third.  After Andrew Kozusko walked, Nick LoNigro replaced him on the basepaths.  Zack Galasso then hit a grounder that erased LoNigro, but LoNigro's hard slide into second forced an errant throw to first, allowing Kavinsky to score to tie the game, and ultimately send it to extra innings.

After neither team scored in the 8th, Waynesburg took the lead in the top of the 9th off SVC's Paul Kubeja.  Mike Neckerman singled to lead off, then stole second.  He later moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Horning.  After a single and stolen base by Andrew Rose, Kubeja bore down and struck out the final two batters of the inning.

Once again, with their backs to the wall, SVC received a boost from Kavinsky, who singled to left field to lead off.  Burkardt hit into what appeared to be a potential double play ball.  However, the throw from third to second base went wide, sailing into the outfield and moving Kavinsky to third.  Jordan Britcher then laid down a safety squeeze which moved Burkardt's potential winning run to second while Kavinsky held at third.  Galasso was walked intentionally to load the bases, and Mike Hustava came through with a single to center that scored Kavinsky to tie the game. 

Krally then stepped up and sent a drive to deep right center field for a walk-off single, as the Bearcats completed the doubleheader sweep.

Kubeja (2-0) earned the win in relief, working the final two innings, striking out three. 

With the wins, SVC is now 3-2 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference, 13-4 overall.  Waynesburg drops to 2-3 in the PAC, 11-6 overall. 

Saint Vincent returns to action on Saturday, traveling to Washington for a twinbill against Washington & Jefferson, beginning at 1PM.