WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — The Lycoming College baseball team posted its third shutout victory of the season in the nightcap of a doubleheader with SUNY Poly, on Sunday afternoon, March 8, at Brandon Park, winning 8-0 in a seven-inning game after a 5-2 setback in the first game.
Lycoming (7-5) took three out of four in the weekend series over SUNY Poly (1-4), picking up their second series victory of the season.
Lycoming controlled game two from the start. After a scoreless top of the first from senior Landon Evans (Millville, Pa. / Millville), the Warriors took advantage of two errors, scoring their first two runs on a throwing error, then plating two more on a two-run single from junior Tyler Iams (Paoli, Pa. / Great Valley) to take a 4-0 lead.
The Warriors added to the lead towards the end of the seven-inning contest, with junior Eric MacCluen (Downingtown, Pa. / Bishop Shanahan) singling home a run and Guzman driving in a run on a squeeze bunt in the fifth. An inning later, Shay and senior Tyler Wetzel (Hughesville, Pa. / Hughesville) executed a double steal with Wetzel swiping the plate. Shay then motored home from second on an infield single from senior Brody Lindsey (Monrovia, Md. / DeMatha Catholic) for an 8-0 advantage.
Lycoming rode a parade of scoreless outings on the mound, with Evans' scoreless inning being followed by two and two-thirds scoreless innings from senior Treysen Green (Celebration, Fla. / Windermere Prep), one and one-third innings apiece from first-year Bryce Brungard (Lock Haven, Pa. / Central Mountain) and junior Grayson Rinker (Jersey Shore, Pa. / Montoursville Area), and first year Mikey Biondolillo (Middletown, Del. / Odessa) picked up the final two outs in his college debut.
In his longest outing of the year, Green (1-0) allowed two hits and two walks with a strikeout to earn his second career win. Lindsey and MacCluen were each 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while Iams drove in a pair.
The Wildcats scored twice in the second inning of the first game on a fielder's choice and a Johnny Yamin two-out RBI single. SUNY Poly stretched the lead to 3-0 on a two-out RBI single from John Leonard in the fourth.
Sophomore Lex Nelsen (Freehold, N.J. / Freehold Township) spun a career-best three innings of one-run ball with two strikeouts and no walks. Senior Rick Trapanese (New Egypt, N.J. / New Egypt) then followed with two scoreless frames, also striking out a pair with no walks.
After being stymied for seven innings, the Warriors finally broke through in the eighth. Senior Josh Bottger (Wilkes-Barre, Pa. / Wilkes-Barre Area) legged out an infield single, moved to third on a wild pitch and a stolen base, then scored on a pinch-hit single by junior Anthony Guzman (Inglewood, Calif. / Paramount). Following another hit, sophomore Kaden Shay (South Williamsport, Pa. / South Williamsport Area) hustled out a fielder's choice that scored Guzman, trimming the deficit to 3-2.
SUNY Poly, though, answered with a two-out RBI double from Luke Landis and an RBI single from Ryan Pelton in the ninth, restoring the three-run cushion that resulted in the 5-2 victory.
Bottger finished 2-for-5 with a run scored and a stolen base, whole Guzman and Shay each had a hit and an RBI in the opener.
The Warriors will hit the road for their final tuneup before Landmark Conference play begins, travelling to Baltimore for a non-conference tilt against Johns Hopkins on Wednesday, March 11. First pitch from Babb Field is scheduled for 4 p.m.
