Up late, baseball drops season opener

York, PA - During his preseason press conference, Penn State Fayette baseball coach Mike Sikorski spoke about the importance of the team finishing games.

Afterall, it is something that has haunted Fayette in recent seasons.

Unfortunately for Fayette, it was déjà vu all over again for the team Saturday as it opened the season by giving away a 7-6 non-conference game at Penn State York.

"We weren't able to finish the game," Sikorski said. "I think the guys thought we had it won and then York came back and won."

Leading 6-2 with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Fayette had two errors in the inning and York took advantage to tie the game before winning it in the bottom of the ninth.

Down 1-0 in the top of the fourth, Fayette finally got its bats going as it scored twice on three hits.

Nate Zimcosky (Uniontown, PA/Laurel Highlands HS) drove in the first Fayette run of the season when he doubled in Noah Hansen (New Kensington, PA/Kiski Area HS) and then Zimcosky scored on a double by Cade Warrick (Mill Run, PA/Connellsville HS).

York tied the game in the bottom of the inning, but Fayette scored two more runs in the fifth when TJ Lux (West Newton, PA/Yough HS) singled in Kyle Ridley (Dunbar, PA/Connellsville HS) and Garrett Stevenson (Hempfield, PA/Hempfield HS).

Kaleb Scott (Uniontown, PA/Laurel Highlands HS) padded Fayette's lead in the six when he singled in Zimcosky and then Fayette extended its lead to 6-2 when Chris Rendulic (Port Vue, PA/South Allegheny HS) scored on a Hansen double.

After York scored the four runs in the seventh, it won in walk-off fashion in the ninth when Carter Williams doubled in Eric Gornik.

Nik Gibson (Uniontown, PA/Uniontown HS) took the loss in relief for Fayette.

Zimcosky led Fayette with two doubles, Warrick had a single and a double while Lux drove in two runs.

Fayette, which left 10 runners on base, has a quick turnaround as it is at Penn State New Kensington Sunday.

For more on the Penn State Fayette baseball team, go to https://www.psfathletics.com/sports/bsb/index.