Lions Win Third Straight

FORT PIERCE, Fla. – Tommy Kocur (Erie, PA/McDowell) drove in four runs on two hits to lead the Penn State Behrend baseball team over Lebanon Valley 11-0 in non-conference action on Thursday.

The Lions (4-1) scored a season-high 11 runs on 13 hits to earn their third consecutive victory.

Behrend got the bats going early, scoring five runs through the first three innings.  Kocur's two-run single up the middle put the Lions up 2-0.  John Hlavinka (Venetia, PA/Peters Township) ripped an RBI single to right for the third Behrend run.  All three runs scored in the second came with two outs.

Alex Margraf (Erie, PA/McDowell) kept the offense hot with a two-run single in the bottom of the third after Vinny Rice (Harmony, PA/Seneca Valley) and Evan Bukowski (Washington, PA/Trinity) hit back-to-back singles.

In the sixth, Matt Bittner (Lancaster, NY/St. Mary's) drew a bases loaded walk and Rice hit a sacrifice fly to put the Lions up 7-0.  Behrend followed with four more runs in the seventh.  Kocur and Rice both drove in runs with a two-run double and an RBI single, respectively.

Tylor Williams (Atlantic, PA/Conneaut Lake) picked up the win in his first career start for the Lions.  Williams struck out 10 while only giving up three hits in seven innings of work.  Tyler Geer (Waterford, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) and Connor Semple (Washington, PA/McGuffey) sealed the victory, each throwing an inning of scoreless relief.

The Behrend offense was led by Ryan Kragnes (Bethel Park, PA/Bethel Park), Rice, Margraf, and Kocur who each had two hits.

The Lions will be back on the diamond tomorrow for a doubleheader against Susquehanna at 10 a.m. in Fort Pierce, Florida.