Just like the return of the robins to Eastern Ohio, the Golden Eagles baseball team made their first spring foray of the season sweeping a doubleheader at Penn State Fayette by pounding out 31 hits and scoring 26 runs.
In the opener, won by the Eagles 10-9, the two teams battled to a 4-4 tie through four innings. The Eagles went quietly in the fifth inning, but the Lions however, were anything but silent in the home half of the fifth when they tallied five runs to take their first lead of the day 9-5.
KSU Tusc's Braydon Maine lifted a flyball to deep right field and took second as Scottie Sauernheimer---who left off the inning being hit by a pitch---crossed the plate to draw the Eagles to within 9-6 before the short sixth inning rally was snuffed out.
The first two Fayette batters were plunked by pitches in the bottom of the sixth, before Andrew Powell came on in relief to record three straight putouts to end any serious threat. PSF had the Eagles down to their final three outs of the game in the top half of the seventh when things took a nasty turn for the home team.
The first five Golden Eagles batters reached safely and all five came home to score to give the navy and gold the lead at 10-9. Joshua Leonard started things off with a double, followed by a walk to Powell. Kyle Shockley beat out an infield hit to load the bases for Spencer Kornspan who brought one run home with a sharp single into rightfield. With the bags still full, Sauernheimer singled home another run with the bases were still crowded. Shockley was forced home by Caleb Campbell who was hit by a pitch and Caleb Salgado followed with a bloop to right field that fell in between two Lions players for a two-out single as two more Eagles crossed home plate in an improbable comeback.
In the bottom of the seventh, Powell did another masterful job on the mound, as he retired all three Lions batters that he faced by strikeout, after falling behind in the count 3-1 to each to preserve the comeback victory.
The Eagles pounded out 13 hits and limited the Lions to just five, as Salgado and Leonard were both 3/5 at the plate. Salgado knocked in four runs, scored twice and Leonard plated two runs of his own.
KSU Tusc also took the nightcap as the Eagles took advantage of several big innings to down the Lions by a 16-10 count.
Trailing 2-1 entering the top of the third inning, the Eagles posted four runs to break out on top 5-2. Campbell sent a double into the outfield and reached home on a two-base hit smacked to the base of the centerfield fence by Maine. Then Salgado's hot bat continued as he belted a triple over the head of the centerfielder and subsequently scored a run when Leonard was thrown out on a fielder's choice.
In the top of the fourth KSU Tusc picked up a single run, but in the home half of the inning the Lions added two runs to cut the margin to 6-4.
The Eagles scored three more times in the top of the fifth for a 9-4 lead. Maine singled, stole second and moved the third on an infield single by Salgado. Powell drew a free pass to load the bases and Kornspan lifted a double into right field to bring home Maine and Salgado. Sauernheimer followed with a sharp single to left to plate Powell before the side was retired with KSU Tusc leading by five runs.
Fayette stormed back in the bottom of the inning with a two-run homer and a single run to slice the deficit to 9-7, but Powell came to the rescue for the second time and with the bases full of Lions, he struck out two batters to end the inning.
In the sixth the Eagles exploded again, this time for six runs as they batted around the order to open up a 15-7 lead. Maine doubled down the rightfield line to move a runner to third and Salgado was intentionally walked to load the bags. Leonard drew a base on balls to force in a run and a Powell fly ball to center was misplayed allowing Maine to cross the plate. Kornspan followed with an infield hit and two Eagles came home on a throwing error as Tusc broke the game open.
PSF scored a single run in their half of the frame and Maine scored for the fourth time for the Eagles in the top of the seventh after doubling off the left field fence. The Lions struck for two runs in the bottom of the last stanza but the night belonged to the navy and gold.
Maine rapped two doubles, finished 4/5 at the plate and scored four runs to lead KSU Tusc now 4-2 on the season. Salgado and Kornspan both had multi-hit nights as well, going 3/4 in the box with Salgado hitting a triple. He scored four times while Kornspan brought home three runners and scored twice.
The Eagles and Lions square off again on Sunday at Dover City Park with games scheduled at 1 pm and 3 pm.
Caleb Campbell takes a lead off third and had a big day at Penn State Fayette.
(Photo by Rob Brindley)