(HARRISBURG, PA:) Playing its fifth doubleheader in as
many days, the Penn State Altoona baseball team showed no signs of fatigue,
cruising past Penn State Harrisburg in a non-league doubleheader Wednesday
afternoon. Altoona won the twin bill by scores of 4-0 and 8-3 to improve
to 15-19 overall. PSU Harrisburg dropped to 11-10 on the season.
Four Altoona pitchers combined for a one-hit shutout in the
opener. Right-hander Paul Keith (Smithmill, PA/Moshannon Valley) started
and hurled two innings, walking a pair and striking out two. Lefty Kevin
Obermeier (York, PA/York Catholic), who was credited with the win, pitched the
third and fourth innings, also fanning two Harrisburg batters.
Freshman Gerard Vath (Milford, NJ/Delaware Valley) pitched the
next two innings before classmate Matthew McGrogan (West Chester, PA/West
Chester Henderson) closed it out in the seventh. Both were working on only
two days rest, and McGrogan was coming off a complete-game win against Medaille
on Sunday.
Offensively, Altoona cracked six hits and scored one in the
second, one in the fourth, and two in the fifth. Freshman Grady Luzier
(Forest, PA/West Branch) went 2-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
In game two, the Lions banged out 11 hits and received an
outstanding pitching performance from Michael Duffy (Downingtown, PA/Downingtown
East), who scattered seven hits and allowed three runs in seven innings.
Duffy pitched 1 2/3 innings of relief the day before in a 13-0 setback to La
Roche.
Junior RJ Barnard (Hollidaysburg, PA/Hollidaysburg) went 3-5
with two runs scored and a RBI. Teammates Rob Traister (Voorhees,
NJ/Bishop Eustace) and Ryan Pollicino (Mount Union, PA/Mount Union) belted two
hits apiece and each had a RBI.
Penn State Altoona is back in action this Saturday for an AMCC
doubleheader at Lake Erie that has major playoff implications. First pitch
of the twin bill in Painesville, Ohio, is set for 1:00 PM.
CONTACT: Penn
State Altoona Sports Information
Steve Crider -- SID
814-949-5173
sac310@psu.edu
