La Roche 24 Penn State Altoona 14
The Redhawks wasted no time and scored 10 runs in the top of the first. Austin Hoffman led off the first with a double and Joe Professori singled through the left side to get runners on the corners. Jay Novak came through, belting a three-run homer over the centerfield wall and a 3-0 lead.
La Roche continued to make things difficult for Altoona. Jonathan Spina reached on an error and Brandon Nania pull a ball into right to advance runners to second and third. Phil Pieto provided the Redhawks his second three-run homer, blasting a shot over the left field wall.
Jackson Rogers and Brandon Nania added RBI singles while Troy Kifer scored on a balk and Rogers on an error.
Altoona scored four runs in the bottom of the inning, but the Redhawk offense continued to pound the ball. Hoffman, Professori, and Novak hit in runs in the second inning. Rogers then hit in a pair in the third, and Kifer made it 16-4.
La Roche extended their lead to 20-4 in the fourth inning. Hoffman walked and scored on a Spina double into center. Pieto stepped to the plate and blasted his second homer of the day, a two-run shot over the left field fence.
Altoona cut the lead to 20-11 by the sixth inning, but the Redhawks tallied four runs in the top of the seventh. Rogers doubled to centerfield and Hoffman drew a walk to put two men on. Professori followed with an RBI-double and Novak a two-run single. A Jonathan Melendez single gave La Roche a 24-10 lead.
Altoona used a three-run seventh inning homer to make it 24-14, but the Redhawks earned the important conference win.
Every Redhawk starter scored. Professori went 5 for 6 with 4 runs, 2 RBIs and 2 doubles. Novak hit in 6 and scored 3 runs. Pieto hit in 5 and scored 3 runs. Rogers went 3 for 4 with 2 doubles, 3 runs, and 3 RBIs.
Travis Holman earned the win, allowing just 1 earned run over four innings.
La Roche 15 Penn State Altoona 6
Professori needed just one pitch to give the Redhawks a lead in the first inning. He belted the Redhawks fourth home run of the day and his sixth of the year for a 1-0 lead.
Dustin Lander used a double play and strikeout to get out of the bottom of the inning. An Austin Hoffman RBI extend the La Roche lead to 2-0 in the second.
Altoona used a solo home run and a grand slam to grab a 5-2 lead through two innings. That was the only lead the Lions would enjoy as the Redhawks strung together five runs in the top of the third.
Spina, Nania, and Tinney reached base and Kifer cleared the bases with a three-run double to left field. Kifer gave the Redhawks the lead, scoring on an overthrow at first base. In the next at bat, Hoffman drove in Rogers for the eventual winning run.
The Redhawks did not allow another earned run over the final seven innings, and they tacked on a run in the fifth, seventh, and eighth innings. La Roche batted through the order in the seventh inning stringing together nine straight two-out hits.
Lander earned the victory, striking out 10 batters over six innings. Seymour and Nuzzo combined for three innings without an earned run.
Spina reached based 5 times and scored twice. Hoffman hit in four and scored while Professori had 2 RBIs and scored twice. Tinney and Rogers each scored three runs.