LHU Baseball falls to West Virginia State in high-scoring affair

WILSON, N.C. – The Lock Haven baseball team (2-1 overall) fell to West Virginia State (3-2 overall), 12-9, in a non-conference game on its first day in Wilson, N.C. on Friday afternoon, Feb. 23.

The early-season spring contest for both schools did not disappoint and featured five lead changes and four ties.

The Bald Eagles outhit the Yellow Jackets, 13-11, but a three-spot in the bottom of the sixth inning erased Lock Haven’s late lead and West Virginia State escaped with a win on an afternoon full of offense.

Greg Cristino (Haddonfield, N.J./Haddonfield Memorial) powered the Bald Eagles; offense with a monstrous day at the plate as he finished 4-for-5 with four RBIs, a grand slam and two runs scored.

Francisco Taveras (Muhlenberg, Pa./Muhlenberg) and Gavin Neal (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra) each added two hits and two runs, while Neal knocked in a pair with a double.

In the top of the first, Stephen McMillan (Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks) drove in the first run of the game to give the Bald Eagles a 1-0 lead.

However, the Yellow Jackets struck for four runs in the bottom half to take their first lead.

Neal drove in a pair with a double to right to cut the deficit to one, but WVS countered with a run in the third to remain on top, 5-3.

Cristino answered with a grand slam in the top of the fourth to clear the bases and put the Bald Eagles back on top, 7-5.

After the Yellow Jackets knotted the game at 7-7 in the bottom half of the inning,

Garrett Starr (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) got the start on the mound for Lock Haven and struck out five, while tossing four complete innings and was charged with seven runs. Dylan McKenna (Islip, N.Y./Islip) was handed the loss in relief, allowing four runs (three earned) in two innings, adding two strikeouts.

Cam Gracey Spring (Grove/Elementary Education) doubled in a run in the fifth to make it 8-7 Bald Eagles, but WVS once again struck for the equalizer in the bottom half.

Joseph DeSiena (Jacksonville, Fla./Atlantic Coast) plated the final Bald Eagle run in the top of the sixth with an RBI-single, but the Yellow Jackets scored four runs over the next two innings to put the game away.

NEXT UP

The Bald Eagles remain in Wilson, N.C. tomorrow (Saturday, Feb. 24) when they take on West Virginia State (2:30 p.m.) and Jefferson (6 p.m.).