Pennsylvania faced off against Abilene Christian in a doubleheader on Saturday, resulting in a split outcome. Despite a setback in the opening game with a 10-4 loss, the team rallied in Game 2, securing a convincing 7-2 victory.
Junior transfer Connor Chavez stood out with an impressive performance at the plate, going 4-for-5 in Game 1 and contributing 1-for-2 with three runs scored in Game 2. Chavez's stellar start in a Penn uniform sees him boasting an impressive batting average of .636 (7-for-11) alongside a remarkable 1.441 OPS across his first three games.
Additionally, Wyatt Henseler extended his hitting streak to 18 consecutive games and launched his first home run of the season, marking his 33rd career homer.
On the pitching front, Cole Zaffiro faced challenges in Game 1, absorbing the loss after conceding three runs on four hits and issuing six walks over 3 2/3 innings. However, Josh Katz turned the tide in Game 2, delivering a stellar performance on the mound. Katz pitched four scoreless frames, limiting the opposition to just three hits while striking out five batters.
The two clubs will conclude their four-game series on Sunday.
In other D-I action
A wild pitch in the bottom of the 10th brought in the winning run as the Saint Joseph's suffered its first loss of the season, 3-2, at Presbyterian on Saturday. Luke Smith took the loss after allowing two runs on three hits in three-plus innings of work. Ryan Weingartner finished 2-for-5 with a two-run homer, while Ryan Picollo chipped in with a double in the losing effort. Ryan DeSanto surrendered one run over five frames in his season debut.
Davidson broke a 3-3 tie in the seventh and held on to take down Villanova on Saturday, 5-3. Devin Rivera recorded six strikeouts in four innings of relief for the Wildcats. Jack O'Reilly chipped in with a two-run blast in the fifth. The loss dropped Villanova to 0-5 on the year.