YORK, PA – The Spartan baseball squad split a MAC Commonwealth doubleheader against Alvernia University on a very windy Friday afternoon at Jaquet Field. The Spartans won game one 8-7 in eight innings and the Golden Wolves earned the split with a 9-6 nine-inning win in the nightcap.

The games were played in 25 mph winds with gusts reaching over 40 mph during the two games. A number of plays were impacted as both teams dealt with the extreme conditions.

The Spartans are now 10-2 overall and 8-2 in the Commonwealth. Alvernia now stands at 7-4-1 overall and 3-2-1 in the Commonwealth.

Game One (Eight Innings)

Hits: York 9, Alvernia 11

Errors: York 2, Alvernia 3

2B: York 1, Alvernia 3

3B: York 1, Alvernia 0

HR: York 1, Alvernia 0

WP: Tim Halasnik (1-0) LP: Michael Griffin (0-1)

How It Happened:

• After two scoreless innings to open the game, the Spartans struck for a big inning in the third. Brian Jakubek started the uprising with a one-out double to left center. After an Alvernia error put Spartans at second and third, Brandon White walked to load the bases. Austin Denlinger then hit a slow roller single on the infield that plated Jakubek to open the scoring. Luke Turner then scored a second run with a sacrifice fly as the runners all moved up 90 feet. With first base open, the Golden Wolves chose to challenge Spartan first baseman Jack Barry. Alvernia starter Shane Ostrowsky got ahead of Barry 1-2 but Barry made him pay with a three-run shot to deep right to put York up 5-0.

• While the Spartan offense finally got going, senior starter Brandon Haggerty was throwing well. He ran into trouble in the fourth with a trio of infield hits but Haggerty got out of the jam with a strikeout and a ground out to end the frame.

• The Golden Wolves finally got to Haggerty in the sixth inning. Haggerty opened the frame as he nicked a batter with a pitch and then the Spartans couldn't get an out on a ground ball fielder's choice. That would prove to be big at Brandon Smith doubled to left center to plate a pair and trim the York led to 5-2. After a strikeout, Mike Ramundo reached on a Spartan error, allowing a third run in the inning.

• The Spartans got a pair of huge runs in the sixth as Brandon White laced a two-out, two-run single to center to push the Spartan lead to 7-3. Those runs would be needed as the Golden Wolves put together a four-run inning in the top of the seventh, tying the game. York would go quickly in the bottom of the seventh forcing extra innings.

• Senior Tim Halasnik retired Alvernia in order in the top of the eighth and the Spartans got to work quickly in the bottom of the inning. Davaughn Reid opened the inning with a double to right center. Jakubek took the first pitch and on the second pitch, laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt. Jakubek's bunt was so good that Alvernia's catcher threw the ball away, allowing Reid to score from second for the game-winner. It's the Spartans second last at bat win of the year.

Spartan Leaders

Spartan ace Brandon Haggerty pitched well as he went 5.2 innings with a no-decision … Haggerty struck out a career-high ten as he allowed three runs, two earned on six hits with a pair of walks … it's the first time this season that Haggerty didn't earn a decision in a start … senior Tim Halasnik earned his first career decision as he earned the win as he threw a perfect eighth inning with two strikeouts … senior Jack Barry blasted his MAC Commonwealth leading sixth home run of the year as he went 2-for-3 with a run scored and three RBI … Barry also leads the league with 21 RBI and 18 runs scored … Barry is now tied for fifth in career home runs (22)… senior Brandon White went 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored … Brian Jakubek went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Game Two (Nine Innings)

Hits: York 10, Alvernia 16

Errors: York 0, Alvernia 0

2B: York 1, Alvernia 5

3B: York 1, Alvernia 0

HR: York 4, Alvernia 1

WP: Mike Cirilli (2-0) LP: Nick Cavallo (0-1)

How It Happened:

• The game began with a frenetic pace as the Golden Wolves struck for two runs on a Mike Cirilli two run homer in the top of the first. York responded with a trio of solo home runs in the bottom of the frame. Brandon White, Austin Denlinger, and Joe Capobianco each drilled home runs to give York a short-lived 3-2 lead.

• Alvernia plated two more runs in the top of the second on a Joe Ginder RBI ground out and a Cirilli RBI single.

• Ginder made it 5-3 in the top of the fourth with another RBI single from the nine spot in the Alvernia line up. York got that run back in the bottom of the fourth as Jimmy Wiegers ripped a lead-off home run to make it 5-4.

• Wiegers was responsible for tying the game in the fifth with a two-out single to right to score White with York's fifth run.

• York took a short-lived lead in the sixth as Craig Wiley tripled and scored on a Sal D'Onofrio sacrifice fly as the Spartans were three outs from a sweep.

• The Golden Wolves began their rally in the seventh as Cirilli doubled with one out. After reliever Zach Reed got a strikeout, Thomas Faggioni hit a wind-blown double to right off the wall, plating Cirilli to tie the game at six. It appeared off the bat that rightfielder Brandon White had a play on the ball but the wind carried the ball to the wall for the double.

• After threatening in the eighth, Alvernia plated three runs in the top of the ninth inning. Faggioni came up big again with an RBI single to take the lead. Luke Grammatica then gave Alvernia a pair of big insurance runs with a two-run single to right, scoring two. Cirilli closed out the game by striking out the side to earn the win.

• Cirilli had a huge game for Alvernia as he earned the win in relief for Alvernia as he tossed three near perfect innings out of the pen, allowing just one walk in three innings with four strikeouts. He also went 4-for-5 with three runs scored, two RBI, a home run and a double.

Spartan Leaders

Sophomore reliever Zach Reed was fantastic out of the pen as he tossed 3.2 innings, allowing a  run on three hits with four strikeouts … it was the first run he has allowed this year in 6.2 innings of work … Jimmy Wiegers stayed red hot with three more hits including his second home run of the year … Wiegers finished the game 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored … Austin Denlinger went 2-for-4 with his second home run of the year … Brandon White was 1-for-4 with his second home run of the year and two runs scored.

Notes

The meeting between the two programs is the first since 1993 … York now holds an 11-5 lead in the all-time series … the Spartan pitching staff struck out 27 and walked just three in 17 innings on Friday … the Spartans also gave up 16 runs in the two games, their highest two game runs allowed total of the year … the Spartans hit a season-high four home runs in the game two loss but all four were solo shots … the Spartans had triples in each game as they now have a conference-leading seven for the year … the Spartans also lead the Commonwealth with 14 home runs and 111 RBI in 12 games.

Up Next

The Spartans head back on the road on Saturday as they head to Reading to face Alvernia in the second half of the four-game Commonwealth set. Game one is slated for a 12:00 pm start.

Audio Highlights courtesy of Darrell Henry - The Voice of the Spartans