Mustangs Swept by PSU-Schuylkill to End Road Trip

Schuylkill Haven, PA – CMCC Baseball ended its spring break road trip through Pennsylvania with a pair of losses, 13-3 and 4-1, to Penn State-Schuylkill. The Mustangs picked up valuable experience in their first action of the spring campaign and now return to Auburn to prepare for the resumption of YSCC play in April.

Game One: 13-3 L

It was a cold and overcast afternoon for baseball when game one started. The hosts took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when the first three batters reached safely. Roman Cieless drove in leadoff hitter Andrew Klotz by beating out a ground ball to third. Starting pitcher Camden Miller settled in to retire the next three Nittany Lions to end the inning.

The Mustangs briefly took the lead in the top of the second. Cleanup hitter Augustino Bonadie drew a walk to start the inning. Designated hitter Brendan Mahaney then brought him around to score with a two-run shot over the left field wall on the very next pitch. It was the sophomore from Old Town ME's third home run of the season, tying him with Garren Post for the team lead, as well as his team-best 19^th RBI of the campaign.

However, Penn State-Schuylkill broke the game open in the bottom half of the inning. The #9 ranked team in the USCAA preseason poll scored six times to take the lead for good. Four batters were hit by pitches, giving the Nittany Lions extra base runners. Conner Licklider plated two with a ground ball up the middle into center field. With the bases loaded, Joey Ruggiero sent a ground ball down the line to Bonadie. The third baseman tried to get the force at home, but his throw was wide of catcher Zac Gorman allowing two more runs to score.

Up 6-2, PSU added two more in the third, scoring on a wild pitch and fielder's choice. Hayden Lee scored to make it 10-2 in the bottom of the fourth, crossing the plate before CMCC could record an out on the basepaths on a steal attempt.

Jake Calver pulled a run back for Central Maine in the top of the fifth, driving in Cody Cleaveland with a line drive up the middle. But the Nittany Lions brought an end to the first game of the doubleheader early with three runs in the bottom half of the inning.

Game Two: 4-1 L

The Mustangs didn't fare much better in the second game of the day, despite a strong outing from Bonadie on the mound. The freshman transfer pitched six innings, allowing six hits and four runs while striking out eight and walking four batters.

Penn State-Schuylkill scored twice in the bottom of the second to take the lead with what would prove to be the winning runs. Shortstop Shawn Pallay plated Yostin Guerrero Solano with an infield single and Blake Deiter brought him around home, after stealing two bases, with a fly ball into center field.

Pallay scored again in the fourth on an error by Miller at third and drove in another run in the fifth when he dropped a pop fly into fair territory in right field.

Cleaveland gave Central Maine a positive jolt with a two-out solo home run in the top of the seventh. It was the sophomore from Richmond, ME's second homer of the spring road trip. Mahaney followed by getting hit by a pitch, but Aidan Barner closed out the game by striking out Caleb Oickle. Tyler Shuey recorded the win with ten strikeouts in six innings while allowing only two hits and walking five.

CMCC next gets set for a return to Yankee Small College Conference play in April. The Mustangs host Great Bay on Saturday, April 4^th for nine innings starting at 11:00 am.