Box Score Auburndale, Fla. – The Penn State Abington baseball squad finally got their 2014 campaign underway earlier Friday afternoon when they took on Clark University (Mass.) for the first game of their spring break trip to Florida. After winter weather postponed the games that the Nittany Lions had scheduled for before this trip, today's contest turned into a first-look of sorts at this squad made up of a combination of veteran leadership and talented incoming players. Unfortunately, things got off to a somewhat rocky start in today's affair, with the Nittany Lions falling behind early before staging a small comeback in a 7-3 loss to the Cougars. Sophomore Ted Smallwood led the offensive attack for the Blue and White, going 3-for-3 with two RBIs in the loss.
 
Penn State Abington (0-1, 0-0 NEAC) sent freshman Tom Kreiling to the mound in his first collegiate start, and the young righty showed some bright spots at times. When he had command of the strike zone, Kreiling's pitches fooled numerous Clark hitters, and he was able to generate most of his outs via ground balls in the infield alongside two strikeouts. However, at times he struggled to find the plate, and the Cougars were able to capitalize on those opportunities. Clark (2-4, 0-0 NEWMAC) was able to generate only five hits off Kreiling, but what hurt was the walks and hit batsmen on top of those hits. After opening the game by giving up back-to-back two run innings, though, Kreiling settled down enough to last 4 1/3^rd innings and allowing just the four earned runs. Clark did manage to score three more runs over the next two innings, but the Penn State Abington bullpen opened their 2014 campaign in a successful fashion, with Brian Camp, Kevin Faber, and Diego Melendez combining to pitch 3 2/3^rds innings hitless and giving up just one earned run while striking out one batter. Meanwhile, Michael Mainuli was pitching a sharp game from the bump for the Cougars, effectively limiting the Nittany Lions offensive attack. The lanky junior pitched a complete game, scattering nine hits and two walks while allowing just two earned runs.
 
In the late innings, Penn State Abington's offense finally started clicking. In the top of the seventh, freshman Trey Guaglionona got his first collegiate hit, a double ripped into right field with two outs. Smallwood followed that up with a hit of his own, a single laced into right field again, and Guaglionona scored standing up from second, putting the Nittany Lions on the board and making it a 7-1 affair. In the eighth, Fran Caruso singled with one out, then moved to second on a passed ball. Tom Ditro flew out to right, moving Caruso to third. Then, Mike Scaringelli stepped to the plate, and hit a ground ball to third. However, the Cougars' third baseman made a bad throw, allowing Scaringelli to reach safely and plating Caruso to make it 7-2. In the final frame for the Blue and White, senior A.J. Vagliani and freshman Diego Melendez started the inning off with back-to-back singles. After a flyout put one out on the board, Smallwood came to the plate and earned his second RBI of the day with a single to second, scoring Vagliani and cutting the deficit to 7-3. However, that would be the last hit of the day for the Nittany Lions, as Mainuli got the final two outs to close out the win for Clark.
 
Although the win is a tough way to start off the season, the Nittany Lions certainly got things going in the right direction in the later innings, and they'll have a chance to keep that positive momentum going when they hit the diamond tomorrow for a doubleheader against Penn State Altoona in a continuation of the RussMatt Baseball Central Florida Invitational. Game one is slated to start at 1:00 p.m. in Winter Haven, Florida. Be sure to keep checking in daily at abingtonsports.com for all your news on Penn State Abington baseball's spring break trip to the Sunshine State!