Hlavinka's Cycle Propels Baseball Over Widener

FORT PIERCE, Fl. – The Penn State Behrend baseball team battled to a 23-11 win over Widener on day five of their season-opening trip to Florida Thursday afternoon.

John Hlavinka (Venetia, PA/Peters Township) hit for the cycle, going 5-for-6 with five RBIs. This marked the first time a Lion (5-1) hit for the cycle since Jon Gray in 2010.

Behrend fought for the lead through the first five innings. They trailed the Pride (5-4) 7-2 after two innings, and 10-7 after four before taking a 13-10 advantage after five. The Lions scored 10 more runs to record their second 20 plus run game of the week (23).

William Kirkpatrick (Pittsburgh, PA/Plum) went 5-for-6 from the plate, recording two RBIs. Ian Taylor (Wexford, PA / Vincentian Academy) hit a 4-for-7 clip, adding another three RBIs.

Brian Bohman (Erie, PA/McDowell) and Scott Sada (Saegertown, PA/Saegertown) each registered three hits in the slugfest. Sada homered for the second straight day, knocking a three-run shot in the sixth. Hlavinka put Behrend on the board with a solo home run in the first while JT Riley (Gibsonia, PA/Pine Richland) hit a two-run dinger in the fourth.

Jack Herzing (St. Mary's, PA/Elk County Catholic) got the start for the Lions, with Eric Mikulan (Pittsburgh, PA/Hampton) and Sean Rutkosky (Harborcreek, PA/Harbor Creek) coming in for relief.

Mikulan added relief for the second consecutive day, putting in four strong innings. He gave up one earned run and a walk while striking out five. Rutkosky threw two innings without walking a Pride batter and striking out three.

Behrend gears up for a double header against Kenyon tomorrow. The games are scheduled for 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. starts.