The Griffin baseball team returned to the field on Saturday afternoon in Johnstown to open their four game set with the Mountain Cats. SHU jumped on UPJ for an 18-4 game one win. UPJ earned the split with a 5-4 win in game two. SHU is now 23-19 overall and 12-10 in PSAC West play.
SHU jumped on the Mountain Cats thanks to some wildness from the UPJ starter. Two walks and a wild pitch to start the game put runners on second and third. A single thru the right side from
Chris Law gave SHU a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
The Griffins increased their lead to 5-0 in the second inning without a hit. They took advantage of three walks in the inning. UPJ answered with two runs in the bottom of the second inning.
Seton Hill pushed across two more runs in the third inning.
Jordan Fiedor was hit by a pitch to open the inning.
Isaiah DiAndreth doubled to put runners on second and third.
Nick Stotler was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Fiedor scored on a wild pitch and
Andrew Chuba singled thru the left side to put SHU in front 7-2.
Stotler's three run bomb highlighted a four run fourth inning.
Andrew Chuba added an RBI double to increase the lead to 11-2. SHU pushed across five more in the fifth. Fiedor started the scoring with a two run triple. DiAndreth added an RBI single and
Parker Denny hit a two run shot to left field.
Colton Carney hit a solo homer in the sixth as SHU built an 18-4 lead.
Kollar earned the win with five innings of work. He struck out 11 in the five innings. Chuba and Law each had three hits. Fiedor and DiAndreth added two.
Neither team was able to get much going in the early portion of game two. UPJ had just one hit over the first three innings while the Griffins did not have any.
SHU threatened in the fourth inning. Chuba drew a leadoff walk and
Ryan Grieco reached on an error. Both runners moved up on a Law sac bunt but a strikeout and groundout ended the inning.
UPJ scored three times in the bottom of the fourth inning. After getting the first two outs, the third hitter reached on a strikeout, wild pitch. Two infield hits and a double to the gap gave UPJ a 3-0 lead.
SHU responded with four runs in the top of the fifth. DiAndreth led off the inning with a single. Carney followed with a single and both moved up on a passed ball.
Adam Bankovich walked to load the bases. Chuba singled to center field to knock in two. After a strikeout, Law doubled into the gap to score two and give SHU a 4-3 lead.
UPJ responded with two runs in their half of the fifth to take a 5-4 lead.
SHU threatened again in the seventh inning. With one out, Bankovich singled and Chuba drew a walk but two strikeouts ended the game.
The Griffins will complete the four game series on Sunday afternoon in Greensburg.
