Apprentice School Trumps Brandywine In Series Opener

NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia -- The Apprentice School scored the final eight runs of the game and ran away with an 11-3 decision against the Penn State Brandywine baseball during the teams' series opener on Friday.

Steve Trainor (Broomall, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) tied the game at 3-3 with an RBI single that plated Tom Osenbach (Newtown Square, Pa./West Chester Christian) in the top of the fourth, but Jacob Countiss and Collin Wilber clubbed back-to-back home runs to open the bottom portion of the inning.

Ryan Hendrickson added a two-run double as the Builders plated four runs and then tacked on four more scores in the sixth.

Brandywine had taken a 2-0 lead following a run-scoring base hit from Trainor and an RBI groundout from Nick Horan (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) during the second inning; however, Apprentice pushed three runs across during the bottom of the frame to take a one-run lead.

Trainor recorded two of Brandywine's five hits, while Osenbach scored twice. Chris Keenan (Chester, Pa./Strath Haven) recorded one hit and scored a run.

Brian Pennock (Kennett Square, Pa./Kennett) was tagged with his first loss after allowing 11 runs in 6.0 innings. Five of those runs were unearned as Brandywine committed six errors.

Mike Brumfield upped his record to 3-1 for the Builders after surrendering three earned runs in 8.0 innings of work. Mark Labrador went 3-for-4 and crossed home twice to lead Apprentice at the plate.

The Lions (6-9, 2-0 PSUAC) and Builders close out the three-game series with a Saturday afternoon doubleheader beginning at noon.