(WAYNESBURG, Pa.) – Wilson and Waynesburg battled to a hard-fought split in a doubleheader between the two on a cold, sunny day in southwestern Pennsylvania on Monday afternoon. The Phoenix got the upper hand in the opener before falling to the Yellow Jackets in a back-and-forth nightcap.
The Basics
Scores: Game 1 – Wilson 8, Waynesburg 4
Game 2 – Wilson 6, Waynesburg 7
Venue: Waynesburg Baseball/Softball Field
Records: Wilson 10-4, Waynesburg 4-8
How It Happened (Game 1)
- Jordan McKenzie (Jr., White Plains, Md. / Southern Maryland) got Wilson's offense rolling in the top of the third as he cleared the bases with a double to left field to score Jack Pachella (Fy., Wayne, Pa. / Radnor) and Garrett Griebel (Fy., Kent Island, Md. / Kent Island) who both reached on a pair of singles. After an infield error by Waynesburg, McKenzie scored on a single to left by Michael Marrale (5th, Sykesville, Md. / Old Dominion) to make the score 3-0. Gerald Buchanan (Gr., Olney, Md. / Montgomery CC) followed up with an RBI single to center to score Marrale.
- Waynesburg answered with a run in the bottom of the frame, but Wilson got it right back in the top of the fourth. Brady Andre (Jr., Brookeville, Md. / Sherwood) laced one down the right field line for a double and scored one batter later as Pachella added a double of his own. It proved pivotal as Waynesburg responded with three in the bottom half of the inning to cut the deficit to one.
- After a pair of scoreless innings, the Phoenix added some insurance in the top of the seventh. Extra base hits continued to trend for the Phoenix bats as Griebel led off with a double to left center. McKenzie brought him in one batter later with a single down the left field line. A double by Vinny Hall (Fy., Fulton, Md. / St. Johns) then brought in McKenzie before he scored on an RBI base hit from Marrale to make the score 8-4.
How It Happened (Game 2)
- The second game was full of back-and-forth action. The Phoenix initially had the advantage as they went up with a pair of runs in both the first and third innings. McKenzie opened the scoring as he led off with his fifth home run of the season. Dean Mercer (Sr., Dunedin, Fla. / Clearwater Central Catholic) made it 2-0 as he scored on a fielder's choice hit by Alex Seidleck (So., Crownsville, Md. / Indian Creek). In the third, a Marrale double plated both McKenzie and Ryan Torres (So., Baltimore, Md. / Archbishop Curley) after they led off the frame with a pair of base hits.
- Waynesburg eventually answered with a solo home run in the bottom of the third before a bases-loaded walk and a bases-clearing double added four runs to give the hosts a 5-4 lead in the fourth.
- The Phoenix fought back and regained the lead in the fifth as Andre tripled to right to score Seidleck and Buchanan. Buchanan reached on a two-out walk before Seidleck followed with an outfield single.
- The advantage was short-lived as Waynesburg regained the lead in the bottom half. A triple of the Yellow Jackets' own tied the game at 6-all before a bases-loaded walk scored what ended up being the game winning run.
Inside The Numbers
- Chris Baumann (So., Snow Hill, Md. / Snow Hill) recorded the win in a restricted outing where he struck out two in two innings of work. He remained unbeaten and improved to 3-0 in the season.
- McKenzie continued his incredible start to the season as he went a combined 4-for-8 with four RBI and four runs scored. He was a triple shy of recording a doubleheader cycle for the second-straight outing.
- McKenzie is now 13-for-24 games with 14 RBI and 11 runs in his last five games. He has recorded multiple hits in all five games, multiple runs in four of them, and multiple RBI in three.
- Marrale also had a solid day as he too went a combined 4-for-8 and 2-for-4 in each game. He added four RBI and a run scored.
- Marrale is 11-for-20 in his last five games with multiple hits in his last five contests. During that time he has hit in six RBI and scored eight runs. Marrale extended his hit streak to 10 games today.
Up Next
The start of CSAC competition awaits the Phoenix as they prepare for Cairn this weekend. Wilson is scheduled to play a single game in Langhorne against the Highlanders on Friday before hosting them for a twin bill on Saturday.
