Baseball Splits at Home With Shippensburg

04/07/2009

Matt Hanley (Delmont, Pa.) and Dan Mangini (Lower Burrell, Pa.) each homered to highlight a five-run first inning that led the Mountain Cats to a 9-3 victory over defending NCAA Division II North Atlantic Region champions Shippensburg University in game one of Wednesday's doubleheader at the Point Stadium. Shippensburg answered with an 11-6 win in game two. Pitt-Johnstown is now 24-12.
The Mountain Cats jumped on Shippensburg starter Nick Umberger for five runs in the first inning en route to the 9-3 win. Hanley belted a two-run homer to left-center field to give Pitt-Johnstown a 2-0 lead. Drew Westover (Flinton, Pa.) then doubled. After a Josh Campanella (Allison Park, Pa.) ground out, Justin Demek's (Cabot, Pa.) double scored Westover, and Mangini followed with a two-run homerun to right field to put the Mountain Cats up 5-0. Pitt-Johnstown added one more in the third inning and three runs in the fourth inning.
Hanley and Westover both finished 3-for-4, while Andy Rubal (Johnstown, Pa.) had two hits and two RBI, and Matt Staub (Latrobe, Pa.) was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Alex Naggy (Greensburg, Pa.) earned his first collegiate win and improved to 1-0 after not allowing a hit or a run in 2.2 innings in relief of starter Kody Reighard (Saliz, Pa.). Reighard tossed the first 2.1 innings and gave up three runs on three hits.
In the nightcap, Shippensburg scored three runs in the top of the first inning and one in the second. Pitt-Johnstown answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame and two in the second to tie the score at 4-4, but the Red Raiders took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the third and one in the fourth, before going on to the 11-6 win.
Mangini had two more hits, including his second homer of the day, and two RBI. Hanley and Staub also had two hits for the Mountain Cats.
Mike McDermott (Nanty Glo, Pa.) fell to 0-1 aftering giving up two runs in a third of an inning in relief. Mike Jewart (Natrona Heights, Pa.) started and surrendered four runs on four hits in two innings.
With the split, Shippensburg in now 18-23.
The Mountain Cats will host a four-game WVIAC series against West Liberty State (WV) College on Friday and Saturday. Both doubleheaders are scheduled to start at 1 p.m. at the Point Stadium.

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