Puma Baseball (9-5) opened up conference play over the weekend with a split against GateWay.

Friday, February 10: PVCC 1, GWCC 0

The Pumas traveled to GWCC on Friday where they defeated the Geckos 1-0 in their first conference game of the season. Three Puma pitchers combined to throw a shutout. 

The pitching was strong on both sides as both pitching staffs had eight strikeouts on the day. The lone run of the day came in the third inning when Carson Craig grounded out to the shortstop and Chaz Clemons scored.

Sam Lachot led the Pumas to victory on the pitcher's mound. The pitcher lasted five and a third innings, allowing two hits and zero runs while striking out five. Mason Brunson and Thomas Urbina entered the game out of the bullpen and helped to close it out. Urbina recorded the last three outs to earn the save for the Pumas.

Offensively, the Pumas collected nine hits. Clemons and Drew Bond each collected two hits to lead the Pumas.

Saturday, February 11: GWCC 8, PVCC 4

The Pumas lost the lead late in an 8-4 defeat to GWCC on Saturday. 

The Geckos took the lead in the first inning, but the Pumas came back in the bottom of the third inning when Ty Cowan's sac fly scored one run to tie the game up at two.  The Geckos trailed 4-3 in the top of the eighth inning when a double scored two runs.

Liam O'Brien led things off on the mound for the Pumas. O'Brien allowed three hits and three runs over seven innings, striking out 10. Logan Birch and Drew Bond entered the game in relief, each throwing one inning.

The Pumas launched one home run on the day when Chaz Clemons hit a long ball in the second inning.

The Pumas tallied seven hits with Cole Williams and Rob Liddington each managing two hits to lead the squad.

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