By Adam Cohen, Athletic Communications Assistant
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- The Allegheny baseball team fell 5-3 at Grove City on Thursday (March 10) in a nonconference matchup.
The contest marked the last time the two would be playing in separate conferences as the Gators are set to join the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) at the conclusion of the 2021-22 academic year..
A pitching duel ensued to open up the game as both pitchers threw four zeroes each before the Gators broke the deadlock in the fifth. In that frame,
Anthony Maslo (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) lifted a sacrifice fly to score
Chase Chodkowski (Buffalo, N.Y./West Seneca West) and push across the first run of the game.
Meanwhile, starter
Bobby Kusinsky (Harrison City, Pa./Penn-Trafford) tossed one more goose egg before he ran into some trouble in the sixth. After yielding Grove City's first run to knot the game at 1-1, there was a runner on second with one out when a sharply hit ball was scooped up by
Jacob Budnar (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights). Budnar proceeded to throw to third base, but the umpires ruled that the runner avoided the tag, thus prolonging the inning.
Therefore, Allegheny's right hander exited the game after hurling 5.1 innings, walking none, and striking out six. The two runners on base eventually crossed the plate – both of which were charged to Kusinsky.
Nevertheless, Allegheny rallied back in the seventh thanks to a two-run double from Budnar to make it 3-3. Yet, in the bottom half of the frame, the Gators gave up two more runs to the Wolverines, which led to their four-game winning streak being snapped.
The offense was led by Budnar and
Jake Stotsky (Pittsburgh, Pa.Vincentian Academy) who each had two hits on the day. The former added in a stolen base and the latter provided a diving catch with the bases loaded. Meanwhile,
Garrett Senchur (Irwin, Pa./Norwin) racked up two strikeouts and threw a 1-2-3 inning in his 2022 debut.
Allegheny remains on the road for a doubleheader tomorrow, Friday, March 11, at Houghton (N.Y.) where the first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. start.
