Baseball Drops Series with DuBois

TARENTUM, Pa. - New Kensington baseball fell to Penn State DuBois Friday afternoon for the second day in a row despite a tremendous hitting performance.

The bats came alive for New Kensington in the bottom of the third when they collected their four runs of the game on a grand slam. However, Dubois got up early with two runs in the second and two in the third. DuBois would score another run in the sixth and one in the seventh. New Kensington dropped a close game for DuBois to finish with the 6-4 win.

In game two, Penn State DuBois managed more runs when they ran across six times in the second. They followed with another inning of scoring with two runs in the third. Each team produced a run in the sixth and New Kensington scored once in the seventh for their second run or the game. Penn State DuBois would finish on top with an 11-2 victory.

Game 1

Freshman Nick Osborne (Hermitage, Pa. / Hickory) took the mound for New Kensington throwing all seven innings. He gave up six runs on eight hits, walking two and striking out four. Osborne took his third loss of the season.

The scoring began in the second when Penn State DuBois tripled an RBI to earn the first run of the game. DuBois would contribute two more singles for RBIs followed by a double down the left-field line to end the top half of the frame leading 4-0.

New Kensington's powerful inning came in the bottom of the third when Tallon Auth (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Plum) was walked. Senior Reise Matson (Kittanning, Pa. / Armstrong) then singled to second base to get two men on. Osborne singled for Auth to be out at third but Jared Busche (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Gateway) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Max Oliveri (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Penn Hills) began his extraordinary day of batting when he blasted a grand slam to drive in all four runs.

Penn State DuBois responded with a home run and a fly ball RBI to finish with a close 6-4 win.

Game 2

Jake Wilson (Fort Myers, Fla. / Fort Myers) got the start for New Kensington in game two throwing three innings and allowing eight runs on eight hits. He walked three batters, striking out two. He was replaced by AJ Collins (Penn Hills, Pa. / Penn Hills) who threw two innings and was charged with no runs on two hits, striking out one. Alex VanMeter (Fort Myers, Fla. / Dunbar) finished the game for New Kensington, throwing two innings and giving up five runs on three hits. He walked two and struck out one. Wilson is now 1-1 on the season.

Despite nine hits, New Kensington could not capitalize on their opportunities to earn RBIs. A Penn State DuBois single to left field ran across the first points of the game and hardly slowed down after that. After a DuBois double to right field brought the game to 9-0, New Kensington responded in the bottom of the sixth when Max Oliveri came through again in his second homer of the day. New Kensington would score again in the bottom of the seventh when Braden Tristani (Sarver, Pa. / Knoch) singled for Tallon Auth to run across. DuBois's lead was too large and they finished with the 11-2 victory.

"Just playing with aggressiveness, playing with heart," said Reise Matson. "Coming back from a hard loss and really just keep competing against a team that we know is good but we just have to perform. Execute what we know how to do and we should be good."

New Kensington will take on Community College of Allegheny County in a doubleheader on Thursday. First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m.

Written by Matt Heavner, PSNK Athletics Communications Intern