MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - New Kensington baseball split a pair of games at the Ripken Experience baseball facility on Sunday to begin spring training.
The men fell 7-3 to Rochester Community and Technical College in game one and earned their first victory of the week with a 12-9 win over Bay College.
New Kensington dropped a 7-3 decision to Rochester Community and Technical College in their first game of the week. The men rallied later that afternoon to defeat the Bay College Norse. Bay College allowed two runs in the first and two runs in the third. But it was the fourth inning that New Kensington ran across five times, putting them ahead 9-3 moving into the fifth.
The Norse surged with six runs in the sixth. New Kensington answered, adding three more runs in the seventh. The men held on to the 12-9 lead to win the game.
Game 1
Nick Osborne (Hermitage, Pa. / Hickory) made the start for New Kensington throwing five innings, giving up six runs on ten hits. The freshman struck out five batters and walked two. Tim Morris (Plum, Pa. / Plum) replaced Osborne in the sixth going one inning allowing no runs or hits.
Remy Monteleone (Mars, Pa. / Mars) closed for New Kensington. He threw one inning and gave up one run on two hits. Monteleone struck out two batters and walked two.
Sophomore Jared Busche (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Gateway) put the first points on the board for New Kensington in the bottom of the sixth, doubling on a fly ball to right field driving in Max Oliveri (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Penn Hills).
New Kensington earned another run across in the inning on a Jake Wilson (Fort Myers, Fla. / Fort Myers) flyball to right field to allow Dale Egenlauf (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Brashear) to come home. Sophomore Alex VanMeter (Fort Myers, Fla. / Dunbar) grounded out to second bringing in Busche. The men fell short 7-3.
Game 2
Ethan Brunson (Michigan / Webberville) took the mound for New Kensington in their second game of the day going one inning allowing one run on no hits. The freshman walked two batters and struck out one. Alex VanMeter (Fort Myers, Fla. / Dunbar) entered the game in the second, throwing two innings. VanMeter gave up two runs on one hit striking out two batters and walking two. Tim Morris took over, throwing 2.2 innings and giving up five runs on five hits. Morris stuck out one batter and walked one. Mario Gomez (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J. / Hasbrouck Heights) finished the game and went 1.1 innings. Gomez gave up one run on no hits, walking two.
At the top of the first senior Reise Matson (Kittanning, Pa. / Armstrong) doubled on a line drive to center field to drive in Max Oliveri for the first points of the game. The scoring continued as Tallon Auth (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Plum) grounded to shortstop bringing home Matson.
Matson singled to right field at the top of the third bringing home Oliveri once again. Wilson then singled a line drive that brought home Busche. New Kensington led 4-3 after three innings. At the top of the fourth, a wild pitch allowed New Kensington another run across followed by a ground ball to center field by Mario Gomez that drove in Zack Woolheater (Munhall, Pa. / Steel Valley).
Matson homered to right field also bringing in Luis Osorio (Bethlehem, Pa. / Freedom). New Kensington had two scoreless innings before AJ Collins (Penn Hills, Pa. / Penn Hills) doubled to center field allowing Busche and Auth to cross the plate. Mario Gomez singled to right field which earned New Kensington the final run across of the game. The men ended with a 12-9 victory.
"We had individual goals as a team but it's just going out there and winning games," said Freshman Remy Montelone. "Become closer with our teammates and just play our hearts out."
New Kensington takes on Bay College again on March 7 at 9:00 a.m. followed by a contest with Henry Ford College at noon.
Written by Matt Heavner, PSNK Athletics Communications Intern
