Williamsport, Pa. – The SUNY Poly baseball team dropped both games of a doubleheader against Lycoming on Saturday afternoon, falling 8–7 in a back-and-forth opener before suffering a 15–1 setback in the nightcap. The Wildcats are now 0-3 to start the season.
GAME ONE:
SUNY Poly struck first in the top of the first inning. Johnny Yamin worked a leadoff walk and quickly moved into scoring position, stealing third before coming home on a sacrifice fly from Luke Landis. The Wildcats continued the rally as Derek Menechino singled and later scored on an RBI single by Maddox Garvey, giving SUNY Poly an early 2–0 lead.
Lycoming answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning. After loading the bases, Eric MacCluen delivered a two-run double to tie the game, and a sacrifice fly by Josh Bottger brought in another run to give the Warriors a 3–2 advantage.
The Warriors added to their lead in the second inning when Nick Hoheb doubled and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Sean Perkins, extending the margin to 4–2.
SUNY Poly threatened in the second after loading the bases with two outs on a single by Yamin, a walk from Menechino, and a hit-by-pitch to Landis, but Lycoming escaped the jam to keep the lead intact.
The Wildcats broke through in the fourth inning to swing the momentum back in their favor. Will Orlando reached after being hit by a pitch and eventually scored on a passed ball. Yamin then singled to keep the rally alive before Landis delivered an RBI single that plated another run. Moments later, Ryan Pelton lifted a sacrifice fly to bring home the go-ahead run, putting SUNY Poly in front 5–4.
Lycoming responded in the bottom of the inning as Brody Lindsey singled home a run to even the score at 5–5.
The Warriors reclaimed the lead in the fifth when Miles Pealer singled up the middle to drive in Josh Bottger. Another sacrifice fly by Perkins extended the lead to 7–5.
SUNY Poly answered again in the sixth. After Brody Liddy walked and moved to third, Landis launched a two-run home run down the left-field line to tie the game at 7–7.
Both teams went quietly in the remainder of the sixth and the Wildcats were retired in order in the seventh, setting the stage for Lycoming's final rally.
In the bottom of the seventh, Bottger doubled down the left-field line and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. Nick Hoheb then delivered the decisive hit, singling up the middle to score the winning run and lift Lycoming to the 8–7 victory.
GAME TWO:
Lycoming opened the scoring in the first inning. After Sean Perkins walked and advanced to third, A.J. Llorente lined an RBI single down the right-field line to plate the game's first run. Later in the inning, Eric MacCluen added a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 2–0.
The Warriors broke the game open in the second inning with a six-run outburst. After putting runners on base with a hit-by-pitch and a walk, Perkins delivered a two-run single to left center. A pair of SUNY Poly fielding errors allowed additional runs to cross the plate, and back-to-back RBI doubles from Brody Lindsey and MacCluen capped the rally to push the lead to 8–0.
Lycoming added another run in the third inning when Nick Reeder singled home Jack Ryan, who had reached on an error and stolen two bases.
The Warriors continued their offensive surge in the fourth. Following a single and double to start the inning, Anthony Guzman drove in a run with a sacrifice fly before Jack Ryan added an RBI single. Perkins then delivered the biggest blow of the game, launching a three-run home run to center field to extend the lead to 14–0.
Lycoming tacked on one more run in the fifth on an RBI groundout from Nathaniel Wilk, making it 15–0.
SUNY Poly finally got on the board in the sixth inning. Jackson Mackenzie tripled to right field to lead off the frame and later scored on an RBI single by Mike Lazaridis, cutting the deficit to 15–1.
However, that would be the Wildcats' only run of the game, as Lycoming closed out the final inning to secure the 15–1 victory and complete the doubleheader sweep.
