Scott Thompson hit a two-run and drove in six runs to help the Mountain Cats make their 2019 home-opener a good one with a 7-4 and 4-3 non-conference sweep over Shippensburg, Friday afternoon at Point Stadium. Pitt-Johnstown improved to 11-4.
Anthony Vavaroutsos' homer to left-center to start the Shippensburg second inning put the raiders on top, but Pitt-Johnstown struck for two runs in its half of the second on SThompson's triple to center that scored
Dylan Broderick and
Zach Zinn.
In game one,
Scott Thompson homered and drove in four and
Brady Walker pitched 5 2/3 innings to lead Pitt-Johnstown to the 7-4 win.
The Mountain Cats added four more in the fourth to make it 6-1. Thompson belted a long two-run home run to left center and
Jack Shirk drove in a pair with a single to right field.
The Raiders got two runs back in the top of the fifth on RBI singles from Logan Williamson and Justin Darden, and Tommy Baggett's solo home run in the sixth cut it to 6-4.
Pitt-Johnstown tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when
Tyler Smith scored on Zinn's base hit up the middle.
Thompson went 2-for-3 with a homer, a triple, and four RBI, and Zinn had three hits and drove in one for the Mountain Cats. Pitt-Johnstown also got a pair of RBI from Shirk.
Walker pitched the first 5 2/3 innings to earn the win and improve to 5-0. Walker gave up four runs on eight hits, while striking out 10 and now allowing a walk.
In game two, Pitt-Johnstown built a 4-0 fourth-inning lead, then held on for the 4-3 victory to complete the sweep.
Pitt-Johnstown opened the scoring with four unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Thompson had a two-run single, Lennon Pugh followed with a
triple to center that plated Thompson, and
Owen McKeever's sacrifice fly scored Pugh.
Shippensburg came back with three runs off of Mountain Cat reliever
Christian Pfrogner in the top of the seventh, but Pfrogner was able to get Darden to ground out to third for the final out.
Thompson had a hit and two RBI, and Pugh and McKeever each had one hit and one RBI for Pitt-Johnstown.
Dylan Heid improved to 3-1 after holding the Raiders scoreless on one hit over the first five innings. Heid struck out 10 and walked six. Pfrogner tossed the final two innings and surrendered three runs on four hits.
With the sweep, Shippensburg fell to 5-9.
The Mountain Cats visit Shippensburg for a pair of non-conference games on Saturday. Pitt-Johnstown will then host a non-conference game against Lock Haven on Tuesday at 3 p.m. at Point Stadium and a PSAC doubleheader against Mercyhurst next Friday at 1 p.m. at Point Stadium.
