YORK, P.A. – An offensive powered day with stellar pitching performances by Patrick Pittman (Chester Springs, Pa. / Downingtown East) and Matt Goodman (Owing Mills, Md. / Franklin) led the York College baseball team to two wins, 10-8 and 17-0, in their home conference double-header opener against the Southern Virginia Knights on Monday afternoon.

The Spartans are now 6-3 and 3-2 in the Capital Athletic Conference while the Knights fall to 3-8 and 2-4 in the league.

After a quick top of the first for Spartan pitcher Pittman, the Spartan offense got on the board early in the bottom half of the first. Brad Wenzel (Blandon, Pa. / Fleetwood Area) singled through the right side and advanced to third base following a botched pickoff attempt by Knight pitcher Chris Madison. Stephen Miele (Allentown, Pa. / Salisbury) would then groundout to shortstop, scoring Wenzel from third, giving the Spartans the 1-0 lead.

Jordan Keefer led off the top of the second being hit by a pitch. Keefer would advance to second on a sacrifice bunt by Giovanni Prado and then advanced to third as Zach McNally grounded out to the shortstop. The Knights tied it up at 1-1 when Kaleb Caplin singled up the middle, scoring Keefer from third.

The Spartans would regain the lead in the bottom of the third with two outs as Collin Crowell (Stewartstown, Pa. / Kennard-Dale) reached first on a Knights throwing error. Crowell then advanced to second due to a balk by Madison. Right on cue, Wenzel singled to left field which scored Crowell.

Miele would extend the Spartans lead by one as he led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo shot to deep right field.

The Knights came storming back in the top of the fifth with back to back singles from Madison Hildebrandt and Mason Fenn. Hildebrandt and Fenn would advance on a wild pitch, which resulted in Prado singling to right field, tying the game up at three.

The Spartans were waiting on the big inning, and it sure came in the bottom of the fifth. Dominic Messina (Marlton, N.J. / Camden Catholic) led off with a double to right field. J.J. Oleniacz (Great Falls, Va. / Langley) reached base on a throwing error which scored Messina from second, giving the Spartans the 4-3 lead. Wenzel then roped an RBI double to score Oleniacz. After Miele singled, a failed pickoff attempt scored Wenzel from third. Derek Pitzer (York, Pa. / Dallastown) reached base on a fielder's choice and Sean Mohollen (Rose Valley, Pa. / Strath Haven) was hit by a pitch to extend the inning. Logan Countryman (Baltimore, Md. / Loch Raven) singled, scoring Pitzer and advancing Mohollen to second. Knights head coach Logan Mann saw enough as Knight pitcher Justin King came to relieve Madison. King walked his first batter faced to load the bases for the Spartans. Messina reached on another Knights throwing error, clearing the bases to give the Spartans the 10-3 lead.

Pitching dominated the next three innings until the Knights came fighting back. With one out in the top of the ninth, Luke Smith hit a solo home run. After two singled and a hit by pitch, the Knights had bases loaded with Prado coming up to the plate. Prado launched a grand slam home run to right field to cut the lead to two. Miele came out from right field in to close the game as he got Hunter Allen to fly out to seal the Spartan 10-8 victory.

Pittman recorded his first win of the year as he allowed three runs on three hits in six innings pitched. He added two strikeouts in the victory. Mark Breitenbach (Collegeville, Pa./Spring-Ford) shut down the Knights with two strikeouts in his two innings of work.  Miele notched his third save of the season in his 0.1 innings of action.

Madison suffered his second loss as he allowed nine runs, two earned, on seven hits in 4.2 innings pitched while striking out three. King blanked the Spartans as he allowed only four hits in his 3.1 innings of work.

A great offensive showing for the Spartans as Wenzel tallied three hits and two RBI. Miele added two hits with two RBI while Crowell, Countryman, and Messina notched two hits a piece.

Prado led the Knights with two hits and six RBI. CJ Andrus tallied two hits while six other Knights added a hit in the loss.

In the nightcap, the Spartan offense jumped on the Knights early in the bottom of the first. Crowell led off the game with being hit by a pitch. Wenzel then roped a double, advancing Crowell to third. Miele singled, scoring Crowell, to give the Spartans the 1-0 lead. After Miele was intentionally walked, loading the bases, Mohollen singled through the right side, scoring two more Spartans. With a bunt single, Countryman loaded the bases once again. Scott Steffy (Downingtown, Pa. / Downingtown East) then singled, scoring Pitzer from third base. After a wild pitch scored Mohollen, Oleniacz singled and Crowell reached on a fielder's choice to give the Spartans the 7-0 early lead.

As Goodman continued to shut down the Knights offense, the Spartans added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Pitzer led off the inning with a double down the right field line and would eventually score as Steffy ripped a single up the middle. The Spartans extended their lead to 9-0 as Steffy scored on another Knights wild pitch.

The Spartan offense added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth inning. Goodman breezed through the next three innings until the Spartans struck again in the bottom of the eighth. Steffy roped a double to center field, advanced to third on a wild pitch and score as Angelo Hronis (Shippensburg, Pa. / Chambersburg) singled to left field. After Zach Hossler (Jefferson, Md. / Brunswick) walked, Wenzel stroked a three run home run to right field. Later in the inning, with bases load, Patrick Clement (York, Pa. / York Catholic) drew a walk and Christian Bilan (Lumberton, N.J. / Camden Catholic) scored on a wild pitch to score the Spartans last run of the game.

Once again, Goodman closed the door on the Knights as he allowed two hits in his final three innings for the complete game shutout, a 17-0 victory.

Goodman threw a gem for the Spartans as he blanked the Knights with four hits in his nine innings pitched. He also added two strikeouts in his second win of the season.

Tanner Wilde suffered his first loss as he allowed eight runs on nine hits in three innings. Caplin gave up two runs on one hit in two innings of relief. Seth Burris pitched two innings in relief, allowing one run on two hits. Logan Dollins allowed six runs on five hits in 0.1 innings of work. Justin Cooper struck out one in his 0.2 innings of relief.

The Spartans ripped off 17 hits in the win as Wenzel and Steffy banged out three hits each. Miele, Pitzer, Countryman, and Hronis would add two hits a piece in the win. Wenzel led the way with three RBI while Crowell, Mohollen, and Steffy added two a piece.

Fenn, Prado, McNally and Allen each recorded a hit in the loss.

The Spartans are back at it tomorrow against the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays at Jaquet Field. First pitch is slated for 3:15 pm.

Recap written by Sean Naylor - Athletic Communications Student Assistant