(ALTOONA, PA:) Freshman outfielder Chris Dixon (Camp Hill,
PA/Cedar Cliff) belted his first career home run as Penn State Altoona rallied
to defeat Pitt-Bradford 5-4 in eight innings in game one of a doubleheader
Saturday at the Ivyside Field. Bradford returned the favor in game two,
scoring nine runs in the final three innings to win 10-5 and salvage the series
split. The Lions bumped their record to 10-16 overall and 4-6 in the
Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference. Bradford is now 10-13 and 3-7 in
the AMCC.
The hosts, trailing 4-2 after 6 and 1/2 innings, began the
bottom of the seventh with a leadoff double from Tony Petulla (Osceola Mills,
PA/Philipsburg). After a groundout and strikeout, Dixon stepped to the
plate and bombed the game-tying home run to left field, sending the Lions to
their second extra inning contest of the year.
Shortstop Tyler Stiffler (Altoona, PA/Altoona) led off the
eighth with a single, and Zack King (Murrysville, PA/Franklin Regional) moved
him to second with a sacrifice bunt. A single by RJ Barnard
(Hollidaysburg, PA/Hollidaysburg) advanced Stiffler to third before freshman Rob
Traister's (Voorhees, NJ/Bishop Eustace) fielders choice got him home and sealed
the victory.
Sophomore ace Paul Keith (Smithmill, PA/Moshannon Valley) hurled
all eight innings to earn the win, allowing just two earned runs and scattering
seven hits. Bradford pitcher Ben McCracken was equally exceptional,
surrendering two earned runs and striking out nine Altoona batters.
The visitors jumped out to a 4-0 lead after 5 and 1/2 innings,
but the Lions scored one in the fifth and one in the sixth before the
late-inning heroics. Dixon, Barnard, and Petulla all had two hits apiece
for the victors, who cranked out 10 total hits and capitalized on four UPB
errors. The Lions committed three miscues of their own, and both teams
claimed two unearned runs.
In game two, Bradford overcame a 3-1 deficit by scoring four
runs in the fifth, three in the sixth, and two more in the seventh. Lion
starting pitcher Kevin Obermeier (York, PA/York Catholic) was cruising until
finding trouble in the fifth where he gave up four runs on four hits en route to
the loss.
Altoona actually out-hit the Panthers 13-10 in the nightcap and
received two or more hits apiece from the top five batters in the lineup.
Traister went 3-4 at the dish and scored two runs while Petulla and Grady Luzier
(Forest, PA/West Branch) each drove in two.
UPB starter Ricky Reisenberger allowed 11 hits but only five
runs and fanned six. The Panthers also received home runs from Phil Solley
and Mike Seech.
Penn State Altoona returns to action tomorrow, Sunday, April 13,
for a 1:00 PM doubleheader against Medaille College. The games will be
played at the Ivyside Field in Altoona, however, Medaille will be the home team
in both games since the twin bill was supposed to be played at Medaille.
CONTACT: Penn
State Altoona Sports Information
Steve Crider -- SID
814-949-5173
sac310@psu.edu
