Bergstrom, Wolczko Lead Baseball Past Pitt-Greensburg 7-4

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend baseball team defeated Pit-Greensburg 7-4 in the first game of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) championship round Thursday afternoon.

Brandon Bergstrom (Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny) was on fire early from the batter's box after moving up to the leadoff spot in the lineup. He went 3-for-4 with two singles, a double and three of the Lions' (28-14) four runs batted in through the first six innings.

Matt Wolczko (Apollo, PA/Kiski Area) also had a nice day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a walk, two RBIs and a run scored.

The Panthers (22-18) scored a run in the first after a leadoff triple and added another in the third to take a 2-0 lead, but it would not phase Behrend.

In the fourth, Zach Murray (Pittsburgh, PA/Baldwin) was plunked to lead off the inning, Justin Foreman (Oakdale, PA/South Fayette) singled to center and Wolczko walked to load the bases. Alex Margraf (Erie, PA/McDowell) grounded into a productive double play scoring Murray from third. Bergstrom then doubled to right and knocked in Foreman to tie the game at 2-all.

The same crew from the fourth added two more runs in the sixth to take the lead. Foreman walked, Wolzcko singled and Margraf advanced the runners with another productive out. Bergstrom then stepped up and singled to drive in both runs.

Wolczko and Murray were back at it in the seventh as well. After a David Boehme (Venetia, PA/Seton-Le Salle) walk and steal, Murray walked and Nathan Noe (Albion, PA/Northwestern) was hit to load the bases. Wolczko singled into left and scored Boehme and Murray to extend the lead to four.

Greensburg scored two in the bottom half of the seventh to cut their deficit in half, but an RBI single by Noe in the ninth added one more insurance run for Eric Mikulan (Pittsburgh, PA/Hampton) to close the game out after a rain delay.

Phil Myers (DuBois, PA/DuBois Central Catholic) had another strong start on the hill, going 6.2 innings, surrendering nine hits and four runs while getting six strikeouts. Brandon Smail (Apollo, PA/Kiski Area) threw 1.1 in relief before the delay, holding the Panthers hitless. Mikulan came in for the final inning after the delay and picked up his second save of the season, shutting Greensburg down in order.

The Lions play the winner of Mount Aloysius and La Roche tomorrow and noon to see who advances to the championship match and who plays in the loser's bracket final.