Penn State Fayette to begin 6-game Florida trip
The Penn State Fayette baseball team will be leaving behind the current gloomy weather in Pennsylvania for 80-degree days in Florida.
Head coach Ryan Encapera’s Roaring Lions begin a six-game road trip Thursday with games scheduled against Atlantis University at 2:30 p.m. and Millenia Atlantic at 6 p.m. at the Palm Beach Challenge at Santaluces Complex in Lancana, Florida.
Encapera said the trip will include his team attending a World Baseball Classic game in Miami on Friday.
The Roaring Lions (0-6) are coming off four losses to Kent State-Tuscarawas, of Ohio, including a doubleheader sweep on Sunday in non-conference action.
Wyatt Bohannon hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning to help lift Kent State-Tuscarawas to a 6-5 win in the opener.
The Golden Eagles won the first game 8-1 behind six strong innings by winning pitcher Cayden Castillo who allowed one run on three hits with two walks and 10 strikeouts in six innings.
Bohannon also hit a two-run shot in the opener. The Roaring Lions’ lone run came on an RBI double by Jonathan Vasbinder which scored Tyler Marra in the seventh inning. Fayette’s other three hits were singles by Frank Macioce, Lucas Vilchez and Manny Stitch. Brogan Meighen was the losing pitcher.
The Roaring Lions fell behind 4-0 in the second game before rallying to take the lead with three runs in the fifth and two in the top of the sixth.
Fayette combined two walks, a pair of hit batters, an RBI grounder by Marra and a sacrifice fly by Vilchez to score three runs in the fifth.
The Roaring Lions took the lead in the sixth when Hunter Smiley doubled and Marra followed with a two-run double.
Bohannon, who also had an RBI single, connected for his go-ahead homer after the Golden Eagles’ lead-off batter reached on catcher’s interference.
Bryson Kent gave up three earned runs in six innings to earn the win. Brenton Billman got the final three outs to earn the save.
Ashton Ray suffered the loss despite allowing just one earned run on one hit and one walk with two strikeouts in three innings.