McGarvey_Pavlik celebrating
Tyler Schueck
3
Winner Penn State Berks PSBM 23-11
2
Misericordia MIBB 34-12
Winner
Penn State Berks PSBM
23-11
3
Final
2
Misericordia MIBB
34-12
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Penn State Berks PSBM 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 3 7 1
Misericordia MIBB 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 8 0

W: Pavlik, Sean (9-2) L: R Dorosh (6-3)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Pavlik, McGarvey lead baseball to win in regional opener

MOOSIC, PA - Sean Pavlik tossed a complete-game gem and John McGarvey knocked in two runs in the top of the eighth inning to power the Penn State Berks baseball team to a thrilling 3-2 victory over No. 1 seed and host Misericordia University in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic Regional on Wednesday afternoon at PNC Field.

The Nittany Lions (23-11) will face No. 5 seed University of Massachusetts Boston on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. UMass-Boston earned a 6-2 win over fourth seed Haverford College in the first game of the tournament. Misericordia and Haverford will play in an elimination game on Thursday morning.

Pavlik scattered eight hits and limited the damage by allowing the Cougars a single run in both the fifth and seventh inning. With the run in the seventh inning, MU went ahead 2-1 and had two runners on with just one out, but Pavlik used a pair of strike outs to escape the jam.

In the top of the eighth inning, Keeanu Erb worked a full count before winning his battle with a leadoff single through the left side of the infield. Nick Zipay followed with a grounder to second base that got Erb out at second, but Zipay beat out the throw to first. Tom Grablewski scorched a line drive single that deflected off the fielders glove, allowing Zipay to make his way from first to third. During the throw from the outfield, Grablewski made a crucial heads up play by racing to second base to put two runners in scoring position with the cleanup spot coming to the plate. McGarvey was able to get on top of a high pitch with a chopper back through the middle that easily scored Zipay and Grablewski with the go-ahead run that sent the entire bench and cheering section into a frenzy.

The Nittany Lions needed a shutdown inning to keep the momentum going in their favor. Pavlik got a groundout to Toby Welk at third base to start the inning, but MU's eight hitter later smacked a double to deep right center. The next batter laced a sharp grounder down the first base line that Grablewski snagged off a hop for an unassisted out at first base. With the tying run now standing 90 feet away, Pavlik forced a groundout to Welk, whose throw sailed high but Grablewski was able to make the stretch and hold the bag.

Berks went down quietly in the top of the ninth, but Pavlik and the Berks defense trotted out to the field determined to keep its lead. The leadoff batter of the inning dropped a line drive in front of Zipay in right field and was then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt fielded by Pavlik out in front of the plate. The next batter popped up a lazy fly in the infield caught by Grablewski for out number two. The Cougars then got a walked batter to put runners on first and second base. Pavlik got the next batter to strike out chasing a high fastball, but the pitch sailed to the backstop to load up bases. Pavlik kept his composure and recorded a strikeout - his seventh of the game - to seal the victory.

The victory marked the second straight season that the Nittany Lions knocked off the No. 1 seed in the regional, defeating Kean University 5-4 last year.

McGarvey had his hand in the first run of the game for Berks, after getting hit by a pitch and stealing second base. Welk then drilled a double down the left field line to score McGarvey.

McGarvey finished the game 1-for-3 with two RBI and three runs scored, while Grablewski had a team-high two hits.

Pavlik improves to 9-2 with a 2.27 ERA, eight complete games, and 83 strikeouts in 83.1 innings of work for the season.
 
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