ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon baseball team continues to turn heads in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. The Golden Knights improved to 7-2 in one-run games this season by sweeping a pair of one-run affairs against California (Pa.) Friday afternoon at Gannon University Field. The squad took the twinbill by scores of 3-2 and 5-4.
In the process, Gannon knocked California (Pa.) out of a three-way tie for first place in the PSAC Western Division while remaining tied with rival Mercyhurst. Both teams have six regular-season games remaining. The Golden Knights dropped their magic number for clinching a playoff spot to two, inching closer to their first-ever PSAC Tournament appearance and their first postseason appearance in general since the 1970 squad played in the NAIA Tournament.
Friday's second victory gave Gannon its 23rd win of the season, tying the school's single-season record for victories set by the 1985 team. The verdict was also the Golden Knights' 12th PSAC victory, tying the school record for most conference wins set by the 2002 and 2010 teams.
Gannon improved to 11-4 at home with another late rally during the second game. Tied at four in the bottom of the sixth inning,
Evan Baglieri (Niagara Falls, Ontario/St. Michael's) ripped a one-out double to left field. With two outs, California closer Jim Kirker intentionally walked
Nico Baldelli (Ellwood, Pa./Riverside) to put runners on first and second. But
Ryan Turner (Pickering, Ontario/Dunbarton) made the Vulcans pay, drilling an RBI ground-rule double to left field. Baglieri scored the eventual game-winning run on the play, giving the Golden Knights a 5-4 lead.
Landon Wahl (Somerset, Pa./Somerset Area) secured the victory, setting California down in order during the top of the seventh inning. The 1-2-3 inning included back-to-back strikeouts to end the contest.
Gannon initially took a 2-1 lead during the bottom of the second inning.
Michael Tomko (Sharon, Pa./Sharon) beat out a grounder into the hole for a lead-off single and moved to second on a wild pitch. The junior then scored on Baglieri's single up the middle. After an
Eric Bradley (Mount Pleasant, Pa./Mount Pleasant) sacrifice bunt, Baglieri scored a go-ahead run on Baldelli's double down the left field line.
The lead stretched to 4-1 with two more Gannon runs during the bottom of the third inning. The Golden Knights loaded the bases on a
Kyle Harpster (Erie, Pa./McDowell) single, a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt and a Tomko walk. Baglieri followed with a two-run single through the left side.
California (Pa.) slowly chipped away at the lead, scoring once during the fourth inning and twice during the sixth inning to tie the game at four. The Vulcans had runners at first and third with one out, but Wahl escaped the jam with a strikeout and a ground-out.
Baglieri was perfect at the plate in the nightcap with a 3-for-3 showing, two runs and three RBIs. Wahl improved to 6-4 with 1 2/3 innings of relief work. The senior allowed one hit, struck out three and walked one.
Matt Tobin (Erie, Pa./Mercyhurst Prep) started the game and did not allow a hit. But the freshman was pulled after 3 1/3 innings after walking nine and hitting two batters. He allowed two earned runs while throwing 77 pitches.
Don Marchione (Markham, Ontario/Br. Andre Catholic) surrendered two runs on three hits in two innings of relief work between Tobin and Wahl.
In the opener, Gannon stood behind a strong pitching effort from
Paul McKenna (Oakville, Ontario/Iroquois Ridge). The senior right-hander limited the PSAC's fourth-best offense to two runs on six hits while recording his PSAC-best seventh complete game of the season. He struck out two and walked none.
Gannon jumped on the board first. With two outs during the bottom of the first inning,
Tim Lipp (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Tomko followed with an RBI double down the right field line for a 1-0 lead.
California (Pa.) tied the game during the top of the fourth inning, but Gannon immediately responded with two runs during the bottom of the frame. Turner led off with a single. One batter later,
Michael Brosius (North Tonawanda, N.Y./North Tonawanda) dropped down a sacrifice bunt and the Cal third baseman threw the ball away. The error put runners on second and third with no outs. Harpster followed with an RBI single to right, putting Gannon in front 2-1.
Dylan Schwegler (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell Area) then gave the Golden Knights a 3-1 advantage with a sacrifice fly to center field.
The visitors clawed back within 3-2 with a run during the top of the fifth inning and had a runner at second base with only one out. But McKenna held onto the lead with a fly-out and a ground-out.
The defensive play of the game came during the top of the sixth inning. Kyle Petty was on third base with two outs when John Orr drilled a ball into the right center gap. However, Harpster raced over and caught the ball on the run just before hitting the warning track. McKenna took care of the rest, retiring the Vulcans in order during the seventh to improve to 7-3. In the process, he tied losing pitcher Petty for the PSAC lead in victories.
Turner and Tomko recorded two hits each during the seven-hit attack. Three different Golden Knights scored and three different players drove home runs during the opener.
Gannon improved to 23-17 overall and 12-6 in the PSAC Western Division with Friday's sweep. California, ranked seventh in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NBCWA) Atlantic regional rankings, dropped to 23-19 overall and 10-8 in conference play. The same two clubs complete their four-game series Saturday, April 21 at California. The twinbill is scheduled for 1 p.m.
