GWYNEDD VALLEY, PA. -- Behind three hits and three stolen bases from senior Kevin Smeraglio and three RBI's from junior Josh Martin, Gwynedd-Mercy powered past Penn State-Abington, 9-5, on Friday for the Griffins' seventh win in a row.
Freshman Rick Elfreth drove in two runs on two sac flies and rookie pitcher Jamey Minnemeyer scattered three earned runs on five hits with six strikeouts over six-plus innings for Gwynedd (8-3).
Tom Ditro was 1-for-3 with three RBIs for the PSU (4-8).
Ditro's two-run single in the first, staked the Lions to a quick 2-0 lead. Martin got a run back in the bottom of the inning on a sac fly to right, to score Smeraglio. Martin struck again in the second as his two-out, two-run single capped a five-run frame for a 6-2 advantage.
After Penn State-Abington crossed two runs in the seventh, to make it a three-run game, sophomore Dante Cassano tripled and would later score on a sac fly off the bat of John Salvatore to make it 9-5.
Cassano finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Freshman Jordano Rodriguez added two hits, two runs, and an RBI.
Freshman Ryan Downs pitched a scoreless two and a third innings to help seal the win.
Gwynedd-Mercy travels to #21 Misericordia tomorrow for a non-league doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.