MUNHALL, Pa. (April 12) – The Saint Vincent baseball team moved its winning streak to six games and completed a two-game series sweep of Chatham, defeating the Cougars 10-3 in Presidents' Athletic Conference action under the lights at West Field.
The Saint Vincent (13-13, 6-5 PAC) racked 17 hits, including five for extra bases, while starter Casey Jones worked five strong innings to earn the win, picking up six strikeouts, including the 184th of his career, a program record, Alex Polito threw four scoreless innings en route to earning his first save as a Bearcat.
Seven players combined for SVC's 19 hits, led by Billy Perroz, who went 4-for-5 with a homer, double, two RBIs and two runs scored. L.J. Evans had three hits and three RBIs and Derek Hald three hits and two ribbies, while Dylan Schmude, Devin Bonine, and Connor Bannias each had two hits. Dalton Nicklow reached base safely three times, drawing two walks and getting hit by a pitch, while Alex Hess went 1-for-3 with an RBI and run scored.
An RBI double from Perroz gave the Bearcats an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first, before they added on in a big way in the top of the second. Nicklow was plunked to lead off and took second on a Bonine single, before Derek Hald then followed with a single to score Nicklow and make it 2-0. Bonine was retired on a fielder's choice by Alex Hess, but Schmude would promptly lace a double to plate Hald with SVC's third run of the game. Evans then came through with his second hit in as many innings, a two-run single that upped the Bearcat lead to 5-0.
Saint Vincent manufactured a run to add onto the lead in the top of the third as Hald singled to lead off, moved to second on a Hess sacrifice bunt and scored on another RBI single from Evans to make it 6-0.
An inning later, the lead grew to 7-0 when Perroz launched a one-out, solo home run to left center, his team-leading fourth bomb of the season.
The Cougars would cut into the SVC lead by scoring three runs, on two hits and a walk, in the bottom of the fourth. They would then threaten to pull even closer in the bottom of the fifth, with Jake Bredl doubling and Caleb Lehman drawing a walk to open the frame. After a pop-up for the first out, Tyler Cote singled to right field, but Evans cut down Bredl at the plate with a bullet from right field for the inning's second out. A walk would again load the bases, but Jones escaped unscathed with an inning-ending line-out to preserve the four-run lead.
Saint Vincent would add some insurance in the top of the sixth. Perroz led off with a single, before Sabol and Nicklow drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Bonine laced a single to right to bring home Perroz, before Hald followed with a sacrifice fly to right to plate Sabol and make it 9-3. Hess then executed a perfect squeeze bunt to bring home Nicklow with the Bearcats' 10th run.
Polito came on in relief of Jones in the bottom of the sixth and would keep the Cougars off the board the rest of the way, allowing four hits in his four scoreless innings of work en route to the save.
Jones finished with a line of 5.0 innings pitched, three runs (two earned), seven hits and six strikeouts to earn his 16th career win on the rubber.
The Bearcats will be back in action on Friday, April 14, hosting PAC rival Westminster in a 1 p.m. Senior Day doubleheader at Bearcat Ballfield.
