#1 PENN STATE BEHREND TO FACE #4 ALFRED STATE IN AMCC BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
No. 1 Penn State Behrend and No. 4 Alfred State College made it through Friday's bracket play to each earn a spot in the AMCC Baseball Championship Game. The Lions and Pioneers will square off on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. to determine the 2026 Champion.
#1 Penn State Behrend d. #3 Pitt-Greensburg, 6-4
Top-seeded Penn State Behrend scored twice in the eighth inning to break a 4-4 tie and defeat #3 Pitt-Greensburg, 6-4, in game seven of the AMCC baseball tournament.
Behrend built an early 4-1 advantage behind RBI efforts from Dylan Barnes, Thomas Nicely, David Gibson and Adam Cooper. Pitt-Greensburg responded with a three-run sixth inning to even the game, highlighted by a two-run double from William Somers that plated Neo Miller and Hunter Gideons.
The Lions answered in the bottom of the eighth when Spencer Deitz dropped down a bunt single to drive in the go-ahead run before Tyler Burick followed with an RBI single to extend the lead to 6-4.
Somers paced Pitt-Greensburg offensively, finishing 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored, while James Domer, Tommy Smith, Josh Preston and Hunter Gideons each recorded two hits. Preston added a triple in the loss.
Penn State Behrend totaled 13 hits, with Burick, Barnes, Gibson, Jake Federouch and Deitz all collecting two-hit performances. Gibson added a pair of doubles, while Jack Baumgartel earned the win in relief after tossing three scoreless innings with three strikeouts.
#4 Alfred State d. #2 Hilbert, 8-5
No. 4 Alfred State erased a five-run deficit with a late rally, scoring eight unanswered runs over the final three innings to defeat No. 2 Hilbert, 8-5, on Friday in baseball tournament action.
Hilbert controlled the early stages of the game, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning behind Reed Lesmeister's two-run triple and an RBI single from Harley Hoag. The Hawks added single runs in the fourth and sixth innings to build a 5-0 advantage.
Alfred State finally broke through in the seventh when Anthony Snyder scored on a wild pitch before the offense exploded in the eighth. Matty Eygabroad delivered the biggest hit of the inning with a two-run triple to cut the deficit to 5-3, and Snyder followed with an RBI single to bring the Pioneers within one.
The comeback was completed in the ninth. Zach Young tied the game with an RBI single, and Jordan Hughes gave Alfred State the lead with a two-run double down the right field line. Hughes later stole home to cap the four-run inning and provide the final margin.
Young finished 4-for-5 with two runs and an RBI, while Eygabroad also went 4-for-5 with two RBI and a triple. Sean Connor added two hits and scored twice as Alfred State piled up 15 hits.
After allowing three runs without recording an out, Daniel Lewis settled the game down in relief and earned the win, tossing 8.1 innings while allowing just two runs, one earned. Braylon Connell recorded the final two outs for the save.
Hilbert collected 12 hits in the loss, with Hoag going 3-for-5 and Lesmeister driving in two runs.
#4 Alfred State d. #3 Pitt-Greensburg, 6-3
No. 4 Alfred State rallied late to eliminate No. 3 Pitt-Greensburg with a 6-3 victory in Friday evening's elimination game. With the win, the Pioneers advance to the AMCC Baseball Championship Game tomorrow vs No. 1 Penn State Behrend at 2:00 p.m, while Pitt-Greensburg has been eliminated from the tournament.
Trailing 3-2 entering the ninth, Alfred State erupted for four runs to complete the comeback and advance.
Pitt-Greensburg grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the second inning on RBI plays from Hunter Gideons and William Somers. Alfred State chipped away with a Matty Eygabroad RBI groundout in the fourth before tying the game in the seventh on Christian Morrison's sacrifice fly. The Pioneers briefly fell behind again after a wild pitch allowed Somers to score in the bottom of the seventh.
Alfred State answered in dramatic fashion in the ninth. With the bases loaded, Frank Grad ripped a three-run double down the right field line that also resulted in a throwing error, giving the Pioneers a 5-3 lead. Grad later scored on a wild pitch to add an insurance run. Grad finished 2-for-5 with three RBI, while Logan Lutz collected two doubles and scored twice.
On the mound, Zach Miner earned the win after tossing eight innings and allowing three runs on 11 hits while striking out two. Braylon Connell worked a scoreless ninth to record the save. Pitt-Greensburg outhit Alfred State 12-8 in the loss, led by three-hit performances from Somers and Jonah Marks.
The AMCC Championship Game between No. 1 Penn State Behrend and No. 4 Alfred State is slated for 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Point Stadium in Johnstown, PA. Should Alfred State win that game to give the Lions their first loss in the tournament, a final game will be played to determine the conference champion.