PITTSBURGH, Pa. - La Roche baseball took the field on Monday afternoon against Pitt-Greensburg in AMCC, doubleheader action, but were unfortunately unable to pick up a victory over the Bobcats.
GAME ONE: UPG 5 LRU 1
The Redhawks showed early signs of life at the plate, consistently putting runners on base. Samuel DiCicco and Eli Thomas each collected two hits, helping La Roche tally nine hits on the day—more than their opponent—but timely hitting proved elusive as eight runners were left stranded.
On the mound, Jamison Rhoades kept things steady through the opening frames before Pitt.-Greensburg broke through in the second inning with a solo home run from Colin Solinski to take a 1–0 lead.
The game turned in the fourth inning, where a combination of hits and a defensive miscue led to four runs for Pitt.-Greensburg. An RBI single extended the lead before an error allowed another run to score, opening the door for additional damage. The visitors capitalized with another run-scoring hit and a sacrifice fly, pushing the advantage to 5–0.
Despite the deficit, La Roche responded in the fifth inning. Troy Sallis reached and later scored on an RBI single by Chase Sankovich, cutting the lead to 5–1 and providing a spark for the offense.
Jordan Sullivan delivered a strong relief effort, tossing three scoreless innings while allowing just three hits and keeping Pitt.-Greensburg off the board the rest of the way. His performance gave the Redhawks an opportunity to chip away, but Pitt.-Greensburg pitcher Conner Burkey worked through traffic and struck out eight to preserve the lead.
La Roche continued to threaten late, but couldn't find the key hit to shift momentum. Alex Perez added a double, while DJ Loveland and Aaron Exler each contributed hits, but the Redhawks were unable to capitalize.
GAME TWO: UPG 13 LRU 1 F/7
The Redhawks found themselves in an early hole as Pitt.-Greensburg struck for four runs in the first inning. A combination of timely hits, a wild pitch, and a two-run double quickly put La Roche behind before they had settled in defensively.
La Roche answered in the bottom half of the inning. Chase Sankovich reached and came around to score on an RBI groundout by Aaron Exler, trimming the deficit to 4–1. It would be the only run of the game for the Redhawks, despite early hopes of keeping things within reach.
Pitt.-Greensburg continued to apply pressure in the second, adding another run, and then broke the game open in the third inning. A six-run frame, highlighted by a three-run home run and multiple RBI hits, extended the lead to 11–1 and put the game out of reach.
La Roche used several arms on the mound in an effort to slow the momentum. After the early innings, Ben Wilcox and Nathan Kidwell provided some stability, combining to limit further damage over the middle and later innings. However, Pitt.-Greensburg added single runs in the fourth and sixth to cap their 13-run performance.
Offensively, La Roche was limited to just four hits. Samuel DiCicco led the way with two hits, while Ricky Heyz and Chase Sankovich added one apiece. The Redhawks were unable to generate sustained pressure, drawing just one walk and leaving four runners on base.