YORK, PA – The York College baseball team used a come-from-behind effort to sweep the MAC Semifinal series from Alvernia, 10-8, on Saturday in York.
The Spartans took an early 6-2 lead but, just like Friday when York had a big lead, the Golden Wolves came roaring back with three runs in the seventh and three more in the eighth to take an 8-7 lead before York won the game in the bottom of the frame.
York improves to 24-17 as they advance to the MAC Commonwealth championship series against top-seeded Messiah. Alvernia sees their campaign comes-to-a-close with a record of 24-18.
 
Runs: York 10 – Alvernia 8
Hits: York 8 – Alvernia 10
Errors: York 1 – Alvernia 1
LOB: York 9 – Alvernia 8
WP: Ethan Kennedy (1-1); LP: Brad Coley (1-1)
 
How It Happened
• The Golden Wolves opened the game by taking just their second lead in five games against this Spartans this year. Quincy Esannason singled to lead off the game. The Golden Wolves used back-to-back sacrifice bunts to move Esannason to third. He came around to score on a Logan Nelson RBI single to left for the 1-0 lead.
• The Spartans answered in the bottom of the second. Joe Urban led off with a single to center. Richard Kline stayed pistol hot with a double high off the right field wall to score Urban, tying the game at one. The Spartans eventually loaded the bases for Lucas Prendergast who scored York's second run with a sacrifice fly to center to score Kline. After Michael Tinneny walked to reload the bases, Jacob Deimling was hit by a pitch to make it 3-1 York. Chris Betler plated the final run of the inning as he reached on a ground ball error but the run was coming home regardless of the error as he earned the RBI.
• Alvernia got a single run back in the fourth as Jack Zabarsky drew a two-out walk and scored on a Timmy Hitchcock double to left center, slicing the lead to 4-2. York responded with a two-run Betler triple to straight away centerfield as the Spartan lead grew to 6-2.
• York added a single run in the sixth. Tinneny singled, moved to second on a wild pitch, to third on a fly out and scored on another wild pitch as the lead was 7-2.
• Alvernia got to the Spartan bullpen in the top of the seventh for a trio of runs. Mike Pulcini had an RBI single for Alvernia's third run. Jack Chapman had a sacrifice fly, cutting the Spartan lead to 7-4. Logan Nelson scored the Golden Wolves' third run of the inning with an RBI single to left. The inning could have been bigger but York turned a clutch double play to end the inning.
• Alvernia kept on going in the top of the eighth as they loaded the bases with one out. Pulcini came up big again with a two-run single to center to tie the game at seven. After a walk, Chapman singled to right center to score Pulcini for the temporary 8-7 lead.
• York wasted little time in getting back in front. Alex Neeld drew a lead-off walk in the eighth. Prendergast tried to bunt Neeld to second but a balk moved pinch runner Dawson Shelley to third. Predergast continued to try to move Shelley to third but Alvernia reliever Brad Coley walked him on four pitches to put Spartans at first and second. Tinneny then tried to bunt the two runners up but Coley walked him on four pitches as well to load the bases. Matt Mays relieved Coley and promptly gave up the go ahead hit to Deimling as the junior ripped a single to right to score two as York recaptured the lead. Betler then served a soft single into center field, scoring Tinneny with York's third run of the inning as they led 10-8. Mays was able to escape the inning without any further damage but the Spartans had the lead heading to the ninth.
• Grad closer Ethan Kennedy, who got the final out of the eighth inning, came out and promptly plunked Thomas to lead off the inning. Kennedy then got a strikeout, a fielder's choice ground out and a fly out to left to close out the series.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Chris Betler: 2-for-3, 4 RBI, 3B, BB
Richard Kline: 2-for-5, 1 run, RBI, 2B
Michael Tinneny: 1-for-1, 3 runs, 4 BB
Jacob Deimling: 1-for-3, 3 RBI
 
Spartan Pitching
Brandon Purdy: 5.0 IP, 3 hits, 2 ER, 1 BB
Dillon Michaloski: 2.0 IP, 4 hits, 3 ER, 1 BB, HB
Bryce Shaffer: 0.2 IP, 2 hits, 3 ER, 1 HB
Ethan Kennedy: 1.1 IP, 1 hit, 0 ER, 2 K, 1 BB, HB
 
Spartan Notes
The Spartans improve to 24-11 all-time against the Golden Wolves as they swept all five games this season … York has won seven of the last eight against Alvernia … the Spartans have now won six straight heading to the tournament championship series … York is now 13-10 at home … York outscored Alvernia 40-24 in the five games against each other this spring … York out-homered Alvernia 8-0 in the series … York drew 21 walks in the five games while the Spartan pitching staff walked just ten in five games … the Spartan defense threw out all three Golden Wolves attempting to steal … York improves to 3-1 in games decided by two runs … York is now 13-0 when scoring ten or more runs in a game … York is now 8-15 when getting out-hit as the Golden Wolves had a 10-8 edge in total base hits … York has outscored their opponents 46-16 in the second inning this year … the Spartans are now 9-3 against left-handed starting pitchers this year … York drew eight walks, tying for their second-highest total of the year (9 vs.Widener, April 5) … Chris Betler had his 11^th multi-hit game of the year and his fifth multi-RBI game of the season … Richard Kline added his fifth multi-hit game of the year as he was 6-for-10 in the semifinal series … Brandon Purdy made his 38^th career start in his final appearance at Jaquet Field … Purdy threw well as he allowed two runs on three hits in his five innings of work as he left with the lead.
 
Up Next
The Spartans will travel to Grantham, PA to face off against Messiah University in the three-game tournament championship series. The Falcons took two of three in the regular season which helped Messiah earn the top seed. The Falcons swept the fourth fourth-seeded Widener Pride in the tournament's other semifinal series. The teams will play games one and two on Friday with game three coming on Saturday if necessary.