Baseball Picks Up One At Geneva

BEAVER FALLS, Pa. - New Kensington baseball picked up one game in a doubleheader with Geneva on Saturday at 33rd Street Field. The men dropped a close 3-2 loss in game one and had a great outing in game two with a 12-6 win.

Geneva struck first with two runs in the second. The game then went scoreless for the next four innings before Geneva ran across again in the sixth. New Kensington was unable to respond until the seventh inning when they scored their first run of the game. The men produced another run in the final inning coming within one and allowing Geneva to finish with the 3-2 victory.

New Kensington came out of the gate strong in game two scoring six runs in the third followed by four in the fifth and two more in the sixth. The men managed 14 hits for the game and held Geneva to six points to finish with the 12-6 win.

Game 1

Nick Osborne (Hermitage, Pa. / Hickory) took the mound for New Kensington and threw the entire six innings. He was charged with three runs on four hits while walking two and striking out five. New Kensington tallied five hits in the game and earned two runs in the bottom of the seventh on a Jared Busche (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Gateway) and Eric Sonntag (Philadelphia, Pa. / Hatboro-Horsham) RBI. Osborne took his second loss of the season.

The first points of the contest came off of a Golden Tornado home run in the bottom of the second followed by a steal at third that allowed Geneva to score on an error at second base. The game went quiet until the bottom of the sixth when Geneva singled to left field advancing one runner to second, driving another run home. Geneva now led 3-0.

New Kensington rallied in the seventh when Osborne reached on an error at shortstop. The men would go on to earn a pair of runs with Busche flying out to center field to put Max Oliveri (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Penn Hills) at third and brought Osborne across the plate. New Kensington scored another run on a Sonntag single to right field to drive in Oliveri. Geneva's early runs allowed them to finish on top 3-2.

Game 2

Freshman Jake Wilson (Fort Myers, Fla. / Fort Myers) earned his first win of the season throwing 5.1 innings and giving up five runs on 10 hits. He walked three and struck out one. Tim Morris (Plum, Pa. / Plum) entered the game throwing 1.2 innings allowing one run on three hits while striking out one batter.

New Kensington came to life in the third on a Tallon Auth (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Plum) homer to left field tying the game at one. Zack Woolheater (Munhall, Pa. / Steel Valley) was walked with bases loaded allowing Reise Matson (Kittanning, Pa. / Armstrong) the go-ahead run.  AJ Collins (Penn Hills, Pa. / Penn Hills) then reached and advanced to second on an error driving in Eric Sonntag and Jared Busche, New Kensington now ahead by three. Mario Gomez (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J. / Hasbrouck Heights) also reached on an error by shortstop to drive in Collins and Woolheater.

New Kensington missed a final opportunity to score in the third when Matson reached on an error for Gomez to advance to third only to get out at home. The scoring did not stop, though. Woolheater was walked once more in the top of the fifth. A sacrifice bunt advanced Woolheater to second only for Auth to be walked, loading the bases.

Matson blasted a 2-RBI single to center field driving in Collins and Woolheater and advancing Auth to third. Nick Osborne capitalized with runners in position singling to left field and bringing Auth across the plate. Busche then singled to left field bringing Matson home. New Kensington held a dominant 10-1 lead going into the bottom of the frame.

Geneva's most efficient inning came in the bottom of the fifth when they produced three runs. New Kensington came back in the top of the sixth as Auth homered for a second time to drive in Gomez. Geneva would contribute two more runs in the game in the final two innings for New Kensington to finish with a strong 12-6 victory.

"We're just looking to improve jumping on the first pitch fastball," said sophomore shortstop Mario Gomez. "I think that's the biggest thing and just playing a clean baseball game overall. That's what we have to improve on."

New Kensington will remain on the road and return to action on Tuesday when they take on Community College of Allegheny County for a doubleheader. First pitch is at 2:00 p.m.

Written by Matt Heavner, PSNK Athletics Communications Intern