Pitt-Johnstown strung together a complete performance to pick up a 7-2 victory in game one and then ended up on the wrong end of a 13-1 defeat in game two to split a non-division doubleheader with Kutztown on Friday afternoon.
The Mountain Cats now sit at 7-8 on the year with just two games left before they begin PSAC West play next week.
Sophomore starter Ben Tomb tossed a gem to earn the win in game one. In five innings of work, the lefty allowed just one earned run on two hits with five strikeouts and just two walks. Zach Myers came on in relief and threw two innings, giving up a run on two hits with a walk and a strikeout.
Five different players enjoyed multi-hit games in the opener. Justin Turcovski went 2-for-4, including a double and a triple, and scored two runs to go along with a pair of RBIs. Erik Rhodes and Zachary Ramach each collected two hits, scored a run and drove in a run. Aidan Steinbugl recorded two hits, including a double. Josh Ulery provided two hits and had an RBI.
In a game where the Mountain Cats never trailed, Turcovski's double to lead off the second helped put them on the board. He moved to third on Rhodes' single and scored on Ramach's sacrifice fly to right.
Ramach sparked Pitt-Johnstown in the fourth with a base hit with one out. Alex Ebeling followed with a single and they both advanced into scoring position after a sacrifice bunt by designated hitter Brody Roberts. Alex Glumac's liner up the middle plated them both to make it 3-0.
The Mountain Cats thoroughly padded their lead with four more runs on six hits in the fifth. Five straight hits to begin the inning was highlighted by Turcovski's two-run triple that extended the lead to 5-0.
Neither team committed an error in a game that lasted just 1 hour and 38 minutes.
Pitt-Johnstown was forced to use five different arms in a frustrating nightcap where not much went its way. Austin Hammerle started and was charged with the loss after throwing 2.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits.
Garret Holzapfel, Devon Boyles, Luke Lea and Jared Hoener all faced at least five batters.
The Golden Bears led for the duration after registering two runs on three hits and capitalizing on a fielding error in the bottom of the first.
Six different players had a hit for the Mountain Cats, including Steinbugl and Ulery, who both doubled.
Ulery's double kicked off their half of the fourth, and he moved to third on Turcovski's groundout. He later scored when Josh Reynolds reached on a fielding error to make it 3-1.
Kutztown put the game out of reach with a seven-spot in the bottom of the inning to push its lead to 10-1.
The Mountain Cats will finish up their four-game series at Kutztown on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. with the second game to follow at 2:30 p.m.
