Baseball Falls in ECAC South Final
DOVER, Del. - Wesley College's baseball team fell to Penn State-Behrend, 13-10, in the 2012 ECAC Division III South Regional Championship Game, on Sunday afternoon at Bob Reed Field. The Wolverines season comes to an end with a program-best record of 31-15.
Penn State-Behrend (29-15-1) jumped out ahead 2-0 with a home run in the first inning but RBIs by Jon Carlson in the bottom of the first and Rob Benedict in the second tied the score at two runs apiece.
After allowing another run in the third, Wesley put a crooked number on the scoreboard with a four-spot in its half of the frame. Morgan Rupp got the rally started with a leadoff single before promptly stealing second and third. Geoff Kimmel then hit a fly ball to deep right field for a sacrifice fly, his Wesley record 155th career RBI.
Sam Farnell and Steve Perone followed up with back-to-back singles before the Lions made a pitching change. A one-out single by Greg McKee loaded the bases and Casey Rothwell cleared the bases with a double to right field.
Both teams went scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings but the Lions jumped on Wesley hurler Jordan Lozzi for seven runs in the sixth. Zach Stuart relieved Lozzi and allowed a run in the seventh and two in the ninth as the Lions took a 13-7 lead going into the Wolverines final at bat.
Rupp once again started the rally with a double and Kimmel singled in the very next at bat to put runners on the corners. A single by Perone scored Rupp from third before Bryan Reshetar hit a shot over the right field fence for a three-run home run. Unfortunately, that would be all Wesley could muster as Ryan Jacobs retired the next two batters to win Penn State the Championship.
Perone led Wesley with three hits while Rothwell and Reshetar (2-for-4) both drove in three runs. Benedict, Rupp and Kimmel also had multi-hit games.
Lozzi (7-5) took the loss for Wesley despite striking out six in 5.1 innings of work. Stuart also struck out six in just 3.2 frames.
Joe Paterniti of Penn State-Behrend was named the Championship MVP after going 2-for-3 with three runs scored and three RBIs on Sunday.
