The baseball program at Shawnee State showcased a competitive effort against a strong Point Park squad, but fell in both contests by 6-3 and 9-6 counts to the Pioneers in a nonconference doubleheader held in Pittsburgh, Pa. Tuesday evening.
In Tuesday's opener, SSU fell behind by a 6-0 count to begin the affair, but were able to salvage three runs later on in the affair.
In the third inning of play, George Duran used a two-run homer over the left field fence to put Shawnee State on the board, while Howie Rodriguez followed a one-out single by Jacob Kline with a double that scored the former. Rodriguez, who advanced to third via a throwing error on the same play, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Levi Jones to round out the scoring.
Duran and Rodriguez each went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored to lead the effort while Kline (1-for-3, run scored) and Jones (1-for-1, RBI, sac fly, walk) rounded out a solid offensive performance from the top half of the lineup.
Tuesday's second contest featured a strong offensive showcase from both squads.
Following a 3-0 deficit after the opening inning of action, Shawnee State went to work in the second and third frames, hitting the scoreboard twice in both frames.
A leadoff single by Rodriguez was followed by a pair of Point Park misplays that allowed Rodriguez and Jones to score in the second, while Jacob Kline followed in the third inning with a solo home run to tie the game. Rodriguez then came back up to the plate and singled prior to stealing second, then was brought in on a sacrifice fly by Kyle Boggs later in the inning, which gave Shawnee State a 4-3 advantage through three innings of work.
In the latter part of the affair, however, Point Park took control as the Pioneers used a two-run fourth to take the lead and a four-run sixth to put the game out of reach. Kline continued his outstanding raking by launching his second home run of the game, one of the two-run variety, in the top of the seventh, but Shawnee State got no closer as the Bears fell by a 9-6 count.
In Game 2, Kline went 2-for-4 with two home runs, three RBI and two runs scored while Rodriguez went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored in the contest to head up the offensive output.
Pitching-wise, Drew Lowe (Game 1) and Seth Pluta (Game 2) started for Shawnee State. Lowe went the distance in his six-inning outing, giving up just three earned runs in a solid 88-pitch performance where Lowe got six groundouts and seven flyouts in Game 1. Pluta threw five full innings in Game 2, throwing 62 of his 99 pitches for strikes while giving up four earned runs.
Shawnee State (18-17) will be back in action Friday and Saturday when the Bears face Georgetown (Ky.) in a Mid-South Conference series at Branch Rickey Park.
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