NCAA2016Game2
Penn State-Berks rallied for two runs in the eighth inning to upset top-seeded Misericordia University, 3-2, in the first round of the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional, Wednesday afternoon at PNC Field in Moosic, PA.
Sean Pavlik scattered eight hits and got his seventh strikeout to end the game with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth as the Lions pulled an upset of the regional top seed for the second straight year.
John McGarvey had a two-run single in the eighth inning and Tom Grablewski had two hits for the Lions. Toby Welk added an RBI-double.
Kyle Lindsay and Alec Iurato both had two hits and an RBI for Misericordia and Miles Westrich added two hits, including a double. Ryan Dorosh scattered seven hits in 7.2 innings while absorbing the loss.
McGarvey reached via hit by pitch with one out in the fourth, stole second and on Welk’s double into the left field corner to give PSU-Berks a 1-0 lead.
The Cougars tied it in the fifth. Al Reda drew a four-pitch with one away and moved to second on a fielder’s choice. Lindsay singled through the left side to tie the score.
Reda lined a 3-2 single to lead off the bottom of the seventh and moved up on a wild pitch. Chris Boroch reached when his sacrifice bunt was mishandled and Kenny Jarema drew a one-out walk to load the bases. Alec Iurato beat out a squeeze bunt to put MU ahead, 2-1, but the Lions got a force out at home and a line out to escape further damage.
Keeanu Erb singled through the left side to lead off the top of the eighth and moved up on a fielder’s choice. Grablewski reached with a two-out single off Boroch’s glove in the hole and McGarvey drove in the two runs with a single up the middle.
Westrich doubled to right center to lead off the bottom of the eighth, but was stranded at third.
Lindsay lined a single to right to start the ninth and advanced on a sacrifice bunt. Navoczynski drew a two-out walk and Comerford reached on a third-strike wild pitch to load the bases, but Pavlik got a strikeout to end the game.
PSU-Berks improved to 23-11 and will face UMass-Boston, Thursday at 4:30. Misericordia, 34-12, will play Haverford in an elimination game, Thursday at 10:00 a.m.
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