BUTLER, Pa. – Point Park picked up a pair of one-run victories over West Virginia State (4-3 and 5-4) on Sunday afternoon at Pullman Park. The wins improve Point Park's record to 15-9 overall and 8-4 in MEC play.
Game 1
After West Virginia State plated an unearned run in the top of the first inning in game one, the Pioneers responded with three runs in the bottom of the second. First, with the bases loaded,
Carlos de la Vega was hit by pitch to bring home the tying run. With the bases still loaded later in the inning,
Felix Gonzalez singled to left center to bring home
Trevor Jones and
Luis Gonzalez for a 3-1 lead.
The Yellow Jackets got one run back in the top of the fourth when Angel Oquendo got caught in a run-down and allowed Garrett Wagoner to score from third.
Felix Rodriguez made it 4-2 in the bottom of the fourth on a triple to left field that brought home
Felix Gonzalez.
An RBI single by State's Carter Ruffner in the seventh made the final score 4-3.
Camden Dimidjian improved to 4-1 on the year after going 6.0 innings and striking out eight in the win. He allowed just two runs (one earned).
Ethan Parker worked the seventh and recorded his fourth save of the year. Parker gave up one run before holding off the Yellow Jackets from tying.
Game 2
In game two, Point Park got on the board first as
Chris Williams scored an unearned run with an assist from a West Virginia State error in the first inning.
Nate Bittinger tied the game for the Yellow Jackets in the top of the second on an RBI single to left center.
In the bottom of the second,
Felix Rodriguez and
Chris Williams hit RBI doubles to give the Pioneers the lead at 3-1.
That score remained until the top of the fourth when State's Ayden Youngblood doubled to right center to clear the loaded bases and give the Yellow Jackets a 4-3 advantage.
In the bottom of the sixth, Point Park regained the lead with a three-hit, two-run frame.
Trevor Jones led off the inning with a single to left field and then stole second. Following a strikeout, de la Vega came to the plate and singled to left center to bring home Jones for the tying run. De la Vega advanced to second on the throw to try to get Jones out at home. Then,
Felix Gonzalez delivered the game-clincher with an RBI double to left field, making it 5-4.
Harold Boyce (3-3) pitched the final two innings for Point Park to claim the win. He struck out the side in the sixth and recorded a strikeout and forced two groundouts in the seventh to wrap up the PPU win and doubleheader sweep.
Ethan Parker made the start for Point Park and went three and two-thirds. West Virginia State's Jared Nethercutt (0-4) had a solid outing for State, before surrendering the PPU runs in the sixth to take the loss.
Point Park returns to action on Tuesday with a nine-inning non-conference matchup against IUP on the road. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
