READING, PA – The York College baseball team opened their final MAC Commonwealth series of the year with a 9-0 road win at Alvernia University on Friday afternoon in Reading, PA.
Sophomore Evan Hughes threw seven shutout innings while the offense had a pair of big innings to earn the road victory.
York is now 19-17 overall and 13-6 in the MAC Commonwealth. The Golden Wolves fall to 23-14 overall and 14-5 in the league as they are one game in front of the Spartans for second place in the conference.
 
Runs: York 9 – Alvernia 0
Hits: York 9 – Alvernia 6
Errors: York 0 – Alvernia 2
LOB: York 4 – Alvernia 5
WP: Evan Hughes (6-1); LP: Tyler Weil-Kaspar (0-1)
 
How It Happened
• The two starting pitchers were dominant in the opening four innings of the game. York's Evan Hughes allowed four hits in the first four innings but all four hits were singles and the Golden Wolves never got past second base. While Hughes was dealing, so was Tyler Weil-Kasper as he allowed just one Spartan to reach in the first four innings and that runner reach via an error in the first.
• The Spartans finally gained some offensive traction in the fifth. Ryan Niedzialkowski opened the inning with a single to left center. Joe Urban doubled to left center to put runners at second and third. Chris Nesensohn loaded the bases with a nine-pitch walk. Matthew Wade plated the first run of the frame with a bases loaded walk. Lucas Prendergast singled to right to score a pair of runs to make it 3-0 York. Prendergast moved to second on the play before Wade scored on a wild pitch with Prendergast advancing to third. Michael Tinneny scored Prendergast with a sacrifice fly for the 5-0 lead.
• The Spartans tacked on three more runs in the sixth as Niedzialkowski and Urban had back-to-back singles. Richard Kline then drove them both home with a three-run bomb down the left field line for the 8-0 Spartan lead. York added a single run in the seventh on a Jacob Deimling sacrifice fly.
• That would be more than enough support for Hughes as he was brilliant with seven shutout frames. He scattered six singles and struck out seven without walking a batter for the Green and White. He has now won four of his last five starts for York as he improves to 6-1. Jason Cassidy and Jesse Bitzer each threw a perfect inning of relief for the Spartans.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Lucas Prendergast: 2-for-5, 2 runs, 2 RBI, 2B
Ryan Niedzialkowski: 2-for-4, 2 runs
Joe Urban: 2-for-4, 2 runs, 2B
Richard Kline: 1-for-3, 1 run, 3 RBI, HR
 
Spartan Pitching
Evan Hughes: 7.0 IP, 6 hits, 0 runs, 7 K, 0 BB, HB
Jason Cassidy: 1.0 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 2 K
Jesse Bitzer: 1.0 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs
 
Spartan Notes
York now holds a 20-11 lead in the all-time series as the Spartans have won three of the last four games … the shutout is the first of the year for the Spartans … York is 3-1 when scoring nine runs in a game … York is now 15-6 when scoring first in a game … the Spartans are now 6-1 when not committing an error in a game … York is 13-0 when out-hitting their opponent … York improves to 10-7 on the road … sophomore Evan Hughes is now 5-0 with a 2.91 ERA in 43.1 innings in Commonwealth play … Hughes has one complete game as he has struck out 45 and walked just eight in his seven starts against Commonwealth opponents … Lucas Prendergast is hitting .434 with 27 runs scored, 10 doubles, four home runs and 25 RBI in his 19 games in conference play … Joe Urban is hitting .406 in conference play with 21 runs scored, 12 doubles, two home runs and 14 RBI in 19 games … Prendergast had his 13 multi-hit game while Urban (11 games) and Ryan Niedzialkowski (9 games) also had multiple hits in the win … Prendergast had his ninth multi-RBI game of the year while he extended his reached base safely streak to 33 games … freshman Richard Kline blasted his first collegiate home run in the victory.
 
Up Next
The series, originally scheduled to resume on Saturday, has been moved to Sunday because of potential rain in York on Saturday. Game one on Sunday is set for a 12:00 pm and will be preceded by York's senior day ceremony. Game two will begin 25 minutes after the conclusion of game one at Jaquet Field.