PITTSBURGH, PA – La Roche Baseball (8-3) swept a double-header over Grove City (1-5) 5-0, 5-2 in a cold and snowy home-opener at John Arnold Sr. Memorial Field on Saturday. The victory extends their home win-streak to 11 games.
The Redhawks broke a scoreless tie with 4 runs in the third inning of Game 1. Sean Lubin led off the inning and scored two batters later on an error by the Grove City shortstop. Shane Healey, Anthony Girdano, and Dan Burns scored runs in the inning and Colin Fiekles lined a pitch up the middle for a 2 RBI single.
La Roche added an insurance run in the sixth inning whenColin Williamson drew a walk to score Matt Sabitini.
Girdano went 3 for 3 and scored a run and Fiekles had an RBI single. Lubin reached base twice, scored a run, and stole a base and Sabitini went 2 for 3 with a run. Healey and Dan Burns each scored in the win.
Cole Lentz (1-1) had a terrific game and shut out the Wolverines over 7 innings. Lentz allowed just 5 base runners and struck out 8 batters while walking none.
Grove City scored an unearned run in the top of the first inning of Game 2 but La Roche quickly answered in the bottom half of the inning. Healey reached on an error and two batters later scored on a fielder's choice by Dan Burns.
The Wolverines took a 2-1 lead in the third inning before Healey scored his second run of the game which tied it at 2 apiece. Healey led off the inning with a double and Girdano hit a sacrifice fly to deep right field to score Healey.
Franzee Barlamas gave the Redhawks the lead in the sixth inning when Sabitini dropped a single into the gap and Andrew Zeger followed with a line drive to right field to score Sabitini. Lubin singled home Zeger to make it 5-2, and closer Jesse Bauer shut down the Wolverines in the top of the seventh inning to end it.
Healey went 2 for 3 with a double, walk, 2 runs, and a stolen base. Zeger and Tyler Marrero each had RBI singles and scored and Baralamas stole a base and scored. Lubin, Girdano, and Burns registered an RBI a piece in the win.
James Connelly (3-0) won his eighth consecutive decision allowing just 2 runs (1 earned run) on 3 hits while striking out 5 batters. Bauer struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh to record his third save of the year.
La Roche Baseball will return to action tomorrow when they host Westminster College. The Redhawks downed Westminster 3-2 in the NCAA Tournament last season to record their first ever tournament win.