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LATROBE (April 5) - Joey Fearer pitched 8.2 innings and Alex Kozusko recorded his second save in as many days
as the Saint Vincent baseball team opened its three-game Presidents' Athletic Conference series against Waynesburg with a 7-4 win.

The victory puts the Bearcats at 8-7 on the season and 5-1 in PAC play a quarter of the way through the league slate. Waynesburg drops even at 9-9 on the season and 2-4 in conference action. The two teams conclude their season series with a doubleheader in Waynesburg on Saturday, April 6.

The guests scored a run in the top of the first inning when shortstop Kyle Sasala tripled to lead off the game and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Nick Berdine, 1-0.

SVC answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. AJ Kavinsky led off with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a wild pitch before scoring on a double by Brad Burkardt, which put the senior shortstop just four hits shy of tying the SVC career hits record of 183. Tanner Master then drove in Burkardt with a single to left field giving SVC the 2-1 lead.

In the top of the second, Waynesburg's Adam Horning hit a two-run home run to left field to put the Yellow Jackets back in front, 3-2.

SVC re-took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. Grant Krally led off with a walk and went to third on a single to right by Andrew Kozusko. Nolan Russell was then hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Krally and Andrew Kozusko came in to score on a single to left center by Vince Murphy, 4-3.

The Bearcats added to the lead in the fifth inning with a pair of runs. Burkardt reached on an error with one out and then stole second before scoring on a single by Krally. After Krally advanced to second on a wild pitch, Master brought him home with a double to left center, 6-3.

SVC added an insurance run in the sixth inning. Gary Gerhardt led off with a bunt single down the third-base line and advanced to second on an errant throw. Murphy then sacrificed Gerhardt to third base and later scored on a fielder's choice by Nick Beamenderfer.

Fearer was able to get the first two outs of the ninth inning quickly, but Sasala and Clay Roman recorded back-to-back singles that put runners on second and third and forced head coach Mick Janosko to call on Alex Kozusko for his second save opportunity in as many days. Berdine, the first batter Alex Kozusko faced, singled through the left side scoring one run, but Alex Kozusko was able to get the next batter to ground out to first base to end the game.

Master had the only multi-hit game for SVC, finishing 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Murphy added two RBI and Burkardt and Krally each scored a pair of runs.

Fearer, making his second start of the season, went 8.2 innings and scattered 10 hits while allowing four earned runs. He struck out two and walked two to improve to 1-0 on the year after taking a no-decision in his first start, a 9.0 inning gem against nationally-ranked St. John Fisher (N.Y.) in Florida, a game SVC won 9-8 in 13 innings.

Alex Kozusko picked up his second save of the season, and second in as many days, facing two batters in 0.1 innings.

Waynesburg Brian Resnik took the loss, his first of the season, dropping to 3-1 on the year. He worked 5.0 innings, allowing seven hits and six runs (five earned) while striking out four and walking one. Aaron Gardocki worked the final 3.0 innings in relief, yielding just one hit and one unearned run.