Pitt-Johnstown posted a six-run eighth inning to capture an 11-8 victory in the opener before suffering a 5-2 setback in the second game to split a pair of contests with Kutztown on Saturday afternoon.
The Mountain Cats also split the four-game series against the Golden Bears and head into PSAC Western Division play with an 8-9 record.
Rodney Shultz took the ball to start game one and gave up five runs—three earned—on four hits in six innings of work. He struck out six and walked five.
Taylor Squiric collected his first win of the season after throwing 1.1 innings in relief and surrendering three runs—two earned—on one hit with three walks and a strikeout. Antonio Caporossi allowed two hits, but came on to get the final two outs of the game.
Three different players accounted for nine of Pitt-Johnstown's 16 total hits. Erik Rhodes led the way by going 3-for-5 with three RBIs and a run scored. Aidan Steinbugl was 3-for-5 and scored twice. Alex Ebeling racked up three hits, drew a walk and scored a run.
After neither team scored from the fourth inning on, the game went into extras tied at 5-all. The Mountain Cats scored all six of their runs in the eighth with two outs.
Ebeling doubled with one out and scored on a single from Alex Glumac. Steinbugl singled and Ulery brought home Glumac to make it 7-5. Justin Turcovski and Devon Boyles both walked to force home Steinbugl. Rhodes followed with a two-RBI single and Josh Reynolds polished off the inning with an RBI double to increase the lead to 11-5.
Glumac and Steinbugl similarly sparked the offense in the first inning with back-to-back singles. Ulery's groundout scored Glumac and Steinbugl crossed home on Turcovski's sacrifice fly to grab a 2-0 advantage early. Glumac went 2-for-3 and reached base four times. Brody Roberts added two hits and posted an RBI. Pitt-Johnstown worked seven walks and made Kutztown pay for nearly every one of them.
The Golden Bears seized their only lead of the game with five runs in their half of the second. It was short-lived, though, after the Mountain Cats scored two runs in the third on Boyles' RBI triple and an RBI base hit from Rhodes.
A trio of Kutztown pitchers held Pitt-Johnstown to just one hit and no runs over the final six innings in the nightcap.
Ulery doubled with one out in the top of the first. Turcovski drilled a two-run home run to put the Mountain Cats on top 2-0. The Golden Bears immediately punched back with two runs in the bottom of the inning and then took the lead for good with two more in their half of the second. A leadoff home run from Colin Kelly in the third set the final.
Brandon Clifford (1-1) was charged with the loss after tossing three innings and surrendering five runs—three earned—on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Rhodes threw the other three innings and did not allow a run on two hits.
The Mountain Cats will open PSAC West play with a four-game series beginning with a doubleheader at Slippery Rock next Friday starting at 1 p.m.
