The Penn State Shenango Baseball team brought the heat in Game 1 but couldn't complete the sweep as they split Friday's doubleheader against Penn State New Kensington. The Lions dominated the opener 12-4 before falling 7-5 in a tightly contested second game.
Shenango erupted for 13 hits and 12 runs in a statement win to open the day. The offense was firing on all cylinders, highlighted by a powerful two-hit, three-RBI performance from JA Quahliero and a two-run homer from John Perry, who also added a double. Troy Bachman and Remington Hart each added two RBIs, with Hart crossing the plate three times. Shenango jumped out with a five-run second inning and never looked back, adding two more in the fifth, two in the sixth, and three in the seventh to put the game away. On the mound, Nate Evans turned in a dominant performance, tossing six shutout innings while allowing just one hit and striking out seven to earn the win. Will Perry closed things out, surrendering four runs in the seventh but securing the victory.
In the nightcap, Shenango held early leads but couldn't hold off a late surge from New Kensington. The Lions opened the scoring in the first and added runs in the third, fourth, and fifth to take a 5-4 lead. However, a three-run sixth inning by New Kensington proved to be the difference. Dominic Fornataro continued his strong day with a hit, two runs, and a walk, while Jason Malley and Nate Evans each drove in a run with clutch hits. Bachman added an RBI despite going hitless, showing his impact on the basepaths and at the plate. On the hill, Nick Osborne took the loss after allowing four runs over 3.2 innings of relief. Starter Mason Walker gave up three early runs in his two-inning outing, and Will Perry returned to pitch the final out of the sixth.
Despite the loss, Shenango showed resilience and competitive fire across both games. If they can combine their Game 1 energy with improved consistency, Penn State Shenango will be a tough out for anyone in the conference.
