PITTSBURGH, Pa. – La Roche baseball celebrated 14 seniors on Saturday, taking on Penn State Behrend in doubleheader action. Game one would go in favor of the visitors, while game two would also go the way of Behrend.
GAME ONE: Penn State Behrend 9 La Roche 4
La Roche would strike first in the bottom of the first inning, when Brandon Snyder scored on a Lion error to make it a 1-0 score.
Behrend fired back immediately in the top of the third, bringing home four runs to take a three-run lead.
The Redhawks wasted no time tying the game, plating three runs in the bottom of the third.
Tanner Schmitt started the scoring with an RBI single, then Christian Melendez tied the game with a two RBI single.
However, Behrend would take back the lead with a run in the top of the fourth, then added three insurance runs in the sixth and one more in the seventh to close the scoring.
Larry Bielawski got the start and in five innings, allowed five runs, 10 hits, walked three and struck out two in the loss.
Three relievers combined to throw the final two innings, allowing four runs, five hits, three walks and struck out three.
Offensively, La Roche picked up six hits, led by Dimitri Gary's 2-for-3 outing.
GAME TWO: Penn State Behrend 11 La Roche 3
Behrend would be the first on the board, scoring three in the top of the second inning, one by a La Roche error and two more on an RBI single.
The Lions would then add four more runs in the top of the third behind another Redhawk error and two RBI singles that drove in three runs.
Two more runs in the top of the sixth would move it to 9-0, scored by way of an RBI single and a wild pitch.
La Roche would crack the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single by Josh Dreyer, his 100th career hit as a Redhawk.
Behrend added another run to make it 10-1 in the top of the seventh on another RBI single, then in the bottom of the seventh, La Roche responded with a pair of runs on a Bielawski RBI double and Danny McCaffrey RBI single to make it 10-3.
The Lions would add one final run in the top of the eighth with their sixth RBI single of the game.
Jamison Rhoades got the start, tossing 1.2 innings, allowing three unearned runs, two hits, walked three and struck out one.
Four relievers combined to close out the game, allowing eight runs (four earned), 12 hits, two walks and struck out six.
Offensively, La Roche ended with nine hits, led by Dreyer's 4-for-5 leading the way.
The Redhawks now prepare for a three-game road trip, beginning with a doubleheader at Mt. Aloysius on Tuesday, Apr. 15. Game one is set to begin at 1 p.m.