Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Philadelphia, Pa. - The Penn State Abington baseball team got their 2013 campaign off to a cold start earlier this afternoon in the frigid weather against tough non-conference opponent Richard Stockton. The Nittany Lions lost both games of the doubleheader by scores of 6-2 and 7-2. Senior Bill Parave led the Nittany Lions, going 2-for-5 total on the afternoon.
 
In the first game, the visiting Ospreys (2-0, 0-0 NJAC) managed to race out to an early 3-0 lead after their opening inning at the plate. Senior Dan Hill got the leadoff man to ground out before giving up a single and wild pitch to advance the runner to second base. However, Hill buckled down and got a strikeout, and it appeared as if the Nittany Lions would get out of the inning scot-free. However, in the ensuing at-bat, the Ospreys loaded the bases on an infield error, and a hit-batter, walk, and another wild pitch scored the first three runs of the game for the visitors. Hill got the next batter to foul out to first, however, and the Nittany Lions avoided any further damage in the inning.
 
Penn State Abington (0-2, 0-0 NEAC) would work themselves back into the game in the bottom of the second inning. With one out, Parave got things started with a single into center field. Senior Mark McCouch earned a walk, and up stepped junior A.J. Vagliani. The stocky right fielder laced a single into right field, bringing in Parave as the first run of the 2013 season. Two at bats later, Vagliani took off for second, and McCouch was able to score from third on the throw, making the score 3-2 in favor of the Ospreys.
 
Unfortunately for Abington, that was all the offense they could generate on the day. Stockton starting pitcher Gage Mick frustrated the Nittany Lions for much of the game, at one point setting down 14 straight Abington batters. He didn't even need the three insurance runs that his offense got him in the top of the fifth on three hits and an error. By the time all was said and done, Mick pitched 6 2/3rds innings, striking out nine and allowing just two earned runs in the 6-2 victory.
   
In the second game of the doubleheader, it was the Nittany Lions who jumped out in front early. Senior Dustin Kology drew a walk to open the game for Abington, and stole second in the at bat. After a groundout for the second out of the inning, Dan Hill stepped up to the plate and knocked in the run with a single into right field, giving the Nittany Lions a 1-0 lead.
 
Senior pitcher Connor MacFarlene did a great job in his first few innings of work, including working out of a jam in the second inning by getting a double play ground ball and strikeout. However, the Ospreys finally touched up the lanky left-hander with a leadoff homerun to left field to open the third inning, followed by three straight singles to score another run. In fact, Stockton scored at least one run in each of their next four innings at the plate, and Abington simply couldn't keep pace with the offensive attack. The Nittany Lions did get one run back in the bottom of the fifth, when Kology got on with a bunt single and was sent home on an RBI double from sophomore Jesse Goldstein.
 
In all, it was a frustrating opening day for the Nittany Lions hitters, as Ospreys pitching limited Abington to just 8-for-49 from the plate. Penn State Abington will have an immediate chance to turn things around, however, as the Nittany Lions will head to Diamond Nation fields in Flemington, N.J. for a doubleheader against Centenary College, a makeup of Saturday's scheduled games. Game times are set for 2:00 and 4:30 pm, and you can get all your news and updates right here at abingtonsports.com.