Mid-Game Collapse Dooms Hazleton, Falls to Valley Forge 16-11
After a strong start Hazleton led the University of Valley Forge 8-3 in the 4th inning. However, their pitching and defense collapsed and allowed the Patriots to score 6 runs in the bottom of the 4th and would later surrender 7 more runs in the remaining innings allowing Valley Forge to take the 16-11 win.
After their games with Central Penn College were canceled due to field conditions, the Penn State Hazleton Nittany Lions accepted an opportunity to travel to Phoenixville to play a double-header with the University of Valley Forge. The visitors started out strong, but their pithing and defense collapsed in the middle and late innings allowing the host team to take the opener, 16-11.
The Nittany Lions jumped out to early leads when in the first inning, Charles Karchner singled, stole second, and was chased home by a Tanner Lawrence double. The Patriots responded, scoring a run of their own to knot the score at 1-1. Hazleton went right back to work in the second when Dominic Yannuzzi singled and stole second. James Brielmeier then got on via an infield error. Luis Tejeda got his first hit and first RBI of the season scoring Yannuzzi. Wild pitches not only moved both runners up a base, but also later allowed both to score making it a 4-1 game. Valley Forge once again answered by two runs, one via a throwing error to make the score 4-3 afer two innings.
In the third Yannuzzi was once again the catalyst with his second single of the game. Then with two outs, Jordy Tejeda walked followed by Tejeda's second hit of the day which scored Yannuzzi. After a wild pitch moved both players up a base, Tim Kindler singled chasing both runners home upping the score to 7-3. Hazleton starter, Adam Michalesko threw a shutdown inning and the Lions went back to work in the 4th. Michalesko walked and stole second, and then scored when Lawrence smashed his second hit of the game making the score 8-3 in favor of the Lions. Unfortunately for the Lions it would be their last lead of the day.
Michalesko proceeded to walk the first three batters he facedin the bottom of the 4th loading the sacks with no outs. A sacrifice fly scored the runner from third, but another walk loaded the bases once again and ended Michalesko's day on the mound. Tim Kindler entered the game walked the first batter he faced scoring another run. An error, a fielder's choice RBI and a bases clearing double pushed six runs in all in the inning giving Valley Forge a 9-8 lead.
The Patriots pushed across two more runs in the 5th inning and another five more in the 6th to increase their lead to 16-8. Hazleton would fight their way back, scoring a single run in the 6th and two more in the 7th, but couldn't climb out of the hole they dug for themselves and dropped the game by a final score of 16-11. Michalesko took the loss on the day running his record to 0-4 on the season. For the day he gave up 9 runs - all earned in 11 at-bats; 2 hits, issued 5 walks while striking out 4, and threw 2 wild pitches and balked once. In relief, Kinder gave up 7 runs-3 earned in 19 at-bats; 9 hits, issued 2 walks while striking out 4 and also threw 2 wild pitches. Kindler and Lawrence led the offensive attack with three hits a piece, both hitting doubles with Lawrence collecting 3 RBI's while Kindler had 2. L. Tejeda and Yanuzzi both added 2 hits with an RBI and Karchner, Michalesko, Stauffer and Yannuzzi all banged out hits as the Lions totalled 13 hits on the day. The Loss dropped Hazleton to 0-8 on the season.