Lions continue to search for first win of young season

By Bert DeSalvo, staff writer

Friday, March 11, 2011

Hampton, VA - Penn State Beaver (0-4, PSUAC 0—0) dropped both games in a doubleheader against USCAA foe, The Apprentice School Builders (Newport News, VA), at War Memorial Stadium on Friday. The Builders took the first game by a score of 4-2, and also won the nightcap 12-0.

In the first game, Beaver found themselves down 1-0 as Apprentice scored an unearned run in the third inning. 

The Nittany Lions quickly responded in the fourth inning as Zack DelTurko (Monaca High School/Monaca, PA) led the inning off with a double, and Cory Wagner(Center High School/Monaca, PA) earned a walk to put two on for Beaver. With two-outs and runners at the corners, Beaver's Zeke Nowakowski (Central Valley High School/Monaca, PA) launched a 2-RBI double to center field, giving Beaver a narrow, 2-1 advantage.

Beaver held the lead until the sixth inning when Apprentice scored three runs on five hits to gain a 4-2 lead that they never relinquished.

Offensively, Beaver ended the game by going down in order in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings.

In the second game of the doubleheader, Beaver mustered only four hits while the Builders jumped on Beaver pitching, scoring 12 runs in the process. 

Despite the loss, starting pitcher Ron Wilkins (South Side Beaver High School/Hookstown) pitched well, allowing just one earned run in 3.0 innings of work, walking one, and striking out one.

The Nittany Lions will next play NCAA Division II Gannon University on Tuesday, March 15. Site and time will be announced.