Brandywine Splits Final Florida Twinbill

VERO BEACH, Fla. -- Penn State Brandywine claimed an 11-8, extra-inning victory during game one, but Rochester (Mich.) earned a split of the doubleheader with a 19-6 triumph in the nightcap during the Lions' final games in Florida during Spring Break.

The Lions took a 4-0 lead in the opener after plating four runs in the second inning. Tom Osenbach (Newtown Square, Pa./West Chester Christian) led off with a single and scored on Matt Masi's (West Chester, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) triple. Masi crossed home after Steve Trainor (Broomall, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) grounded out. After a pair of walks, Kevin Dougherty (West Chester, Pa./Rustin) pushed both runners home with a two-out double.

John Gorgone's (Ridley, Pa./Ridley) solo home run in the fourth inning made the score 5-0, but the Warriors cut the deficit to one with a four-run fourth. A sacrific fly from Masi upped Brandywine's lead back to two in the sixth; however, Rochester scored twice during the bottom of the frame, sending the contest to extra innings.

In the top of the eighth inning, Dan McMenamin (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) delivered a bases-loaded single to center that scored two and put Brandywine in front 8-6. Kyle Hartwick's two-run base hit in the bottom of the inning extended the game.

Brandywine loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth and Tommy Crumlish (Upper Darby, Pa./Monsignor Bonner) worked a walk to push the go-ahead run across. Gorgone added an insurance run, crossing home following a wild pitch and McMenamin knocked in the final score with a groundout.

Dougherty and Gorgone both collected two hits. Dougherty reached base in five-of-six at-bats as he also worked three walks, while Gorgone scored four runs and Anthony Bianchini (Long Island, N.Y./Long Beach) crossed home three times.

Chris Skahill (Media, Pa./Penncrest) earned the win in relief after pitching the final three frames. He allowed two runs on two hits. Matt Gallo (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) started the opener and surrendered four earned runs on four hits, while Dave DiMeglio (Morton, Pa./Ridley) pitched the middle three innings, surrendering two runs (one earned) and fanning a pair.

Brandywine scored the first four runs of game two, taking advantage of three Rochester errors during the first inning; however, the Warriors plated the game's next 19 runs and ran away with the victory. The Lions committed nine costly errors.

Gorgone drove in two runs, both with sacrifice flies, while Osenbach and Trainor both collected two hits. Osenbach also scored twice and drove in one.

Brandywine (2-7) is idle until Wednesday, March 16 when it hosts Wilkes University at Maple Zone at 4:00 pm.