Spartans Split Sunday Pair; Take Two of Three against #5 Lynchburg - York College of Pennsylvania (2024)

David Sinclair Photography

• Box Score 1
• Box Score 2

Game Recap: Baseball | 3/3/2024 6:56:00 PM | Scott Guise, Director of Athletic Communications

The Spartans earned the series win with a six-run ninth inning in game three

LYNCHBURG, VA – The York College baseball team split a Sunday twin bill against #5 Lynchburg as the Spartans took two of three games against the 2023 Division III National Champions this weekend in Lynchburg.
The Hornets evened the series with a 6-3 win in game one but the Spartans used a huge six-run ninth inning rally in the second game to capture an 8-3 win to earn the series win.
The Spartans are 2-1 while the Hornets are now 5-4.

GAME ONE
Runs: York 3 - #5 Lynchburg 6
Hits: York 7; Lynchburg 8
Errors: York 1; Lynchburg 1
LOB: York 6; Lynchburg 7
WP: Nick Mattfield (1-0); LP: Brandon Purdy (0-1); Save: Logan Tapman (1)

How It Happened
• The Hornets opened the scoring in the bottom of the second as they got to Spartan starter Brandon Purdy for three runs. The Hornets got a walk, a double and a three-run homer from Quinn Madden to take the 3-0 lead.
• Lynchburg made it 4-0 thanks to the Spartans first, and only, error of the weekend in the bottom of the fourth.
• York got back into the game in the top of the sixth. Lucas Prendergast singled through the right side to lead off the inning. Gabe Trevena tripled to left center to score Prendergast and get the Spartans on the board. Robby Elzinga walked to put Spartans at the corners with no outs. Andrew Santarpia singled up the middle to score Trevena for the second run of the inning. Michael Tinneny reached on an error to load the bases for York. The Hornets then got a double play which scored Elzinga, cutting the Spartan deficit to 4-3. Lynchburg got a strikeout as the Spartans left a runner at third.
• The Hornets got two of those three runs right back in the bottom of the sixth with a two-out rally. Lynchburg got back-to-back hit batters followed by an O'Kelly McWilliams single to score one run. The Hornets then pulled off a double steal for the second run of the frame as they led 6-3.
• The Spartans had a chance to get closer in the seventh as they left a pair of runners on base. That was the best chance they would get as the Hornets shut the Spartans down in the final two innings to square the series at one game each.

Spartan Offensive Leaders
Lucas Prendergast: 2-for-4, 1 run
Gabe Trevena: 1-for-3, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 3B
Andrew Santarpia: 1-for-4, RBI
Connor Pickle: 1-for-4
Chris Betler: 1-for-4
Matthew Wade: 1-for-3

Spartan Pitching
Brandon Purdy: 5.0 IP, 6 hits, 4 runs, 3 ER, 2 K, 3 BB (Loss, 0-1)
Lane Berkey: 3.0 IP, 2 hits, 2 runs, 2 ER, 1 K, 0 BB, 2 HBP

GAME TWO
Runs: York 8 - #5 Lynchburg 3
Hits: York 15; Lynchburg 6
Errors: York 0; Lynchburg 0
LOB: York 14; Lynchburg 7
WP: Dillon Michaloski (1-0); LP: Mason McDowell (1-1)

How It Happened – Game Two
• The Spartans got on the board in the second with a pair of runs after the Hornets recorded the first two outs of the inning. Brett DeWees singled up the middle and moved to second when Luke Moser had an infield single. Lucas Prendergast launched a triple to right field, scoring DeWees and Moser for the 2-0 Spartan lead.
• The Hornets finally reached freshman starter Evan Hughes in the bottom of the fourth as O'Kelly McWilliams tripled to left center to lead off the inning. Hughes got a pop up but then Eric Hiett doubled to center to score McWilliams for Lynchburg's first run. After a line out advanced Hiett to third, Gavin Collins singled to score Hiett, tying the game at two. Hughes got a strikeout to end the inning but the Hornets had tied the game.
• The Hornets got a run in the bottom of the fifth to take a lead but it could have been far worse for York as Lynchburg left the bases loaded. Spartan reliever Jason Cassidy got a strikeout to end the threat.
• The game stayed a 3-2 contest until the top of the ninth when the Spartan staged an improbable comeback in the top of the frame. The rally started with a Robby Elzinga infield single to lead off the inning. Andrew Santarpia singled to right to move Elzinga to second. Michael Tinneny sacrificed the pair up 90 feet as Elzinga was the tying run and Santarpia was the go-ahead run. Connor Pickle was intentionally walked to load the bases. Hornet reliever Mason McDowell got a strikeout for out number two as things looked dim for York. Freshman catcher Matthew Wade came up to the plate for his first at-bat of game two and McDowell quickly got up on Wade 1-2 before Wade blasted a drive off the wall in left center to clear the bases and give York a 5-3 lead. The Spartans weren't done as Moser hit his first collegiate home run, a two-run shot to push the lead to 7-3. Prendergast kept the train rolling with a double to left center and he came around to score on a Gabe Trevena single up the middle to make it 8-3. The Hornets got the final out of the inning but the Spartans had done all the damage they would need. Ethan Kennedy tossed a perfect ninth to close out the game and the series win.

Spartan Offensive Leaders
Lucas Prendergast: 3-for-4, 1 run, 2 RBI, BB, 2 2B, 3B
Robby Elzinga: 3-for-6, 1 run, 2B
Chris Betler: 2-for-5, 2B
Luke Moser: 2-for-5, 2 runs, 2 RBI, HR
Matthew Wade: 1-for-1, 1 run, 3 RBI, 2B
Brett DeWees: 2-for-3, 1 run

Spartan Pitching
Evan Hughes: 4.0 IP, 3 hits, 2 runs, 2 ER, 3 K, 1 BB
Jason Cassidy: 2.1 IP, 3 hits, 1 run, 1 ER, 1 K
Dillon Michaloski: 1.2 IP, 0 hits, 1 K, 1 BB (Win, 1-0)
Ethan Kennedy: 1.0 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs

Spartan Game Notes
The Spartans took two of three from the Hornets as they are now 5-10 all-time against the Hornets … the wins for a visiting team in Lynchburg isn't common as the Hornets were 21-1 last year at Fox Field and are now 73-9 in the last four years at home … the Spartans hit a blistering .336 in the three games over the weekend … York banged out 39 hits with 15 extra base hits over the weekend … York slugged .517 for the series … York outscored Lynchburg 22-15 in the three games … York's defense was sharp all weekend as they committed just one error in 100 fielding chances … the Spartan pitching staff held an explosive Lynchburg offense to a .226 (21-for-93) average in the series … a number of Spartan freshmen made their collegiate debuts over the weekend … catcher Matthew Wade was 2-for-4 with the huge three-run double in the ninth inning of game two … Dillon Michaloski earned a win in his first collegiate appearance as he tossed 1.2 hitless innings as he struck out one and walked one to earn the win … Jason Cassidy made his collegiate debut as he tossed 2.1 innings, allowing a run on three hits in game two … Evan Hughes was strong in his game two start with two runs allowed on three hits with three strikeouts … sophom*ore second baseman Lucas Prendergast had a big trip as he hit .462 with four RBI, a run scored, two doubles and a triple with a team-high 10 total bases … Prendergast also drew two walks and was hit by one pitch as his on-base percentage for the weekend was .563 … grad centerfielder Robby Elzinga had three doubles as he hit .385 for the series.

Up Next
The Spartans are slated to open their home schedule on Tuesday afternoon as they host Franklin & Marshall in a non-conference contest. First pitch from Jaquet Field is scheduled for 3:00 pm.