MEDIA, Pa. -- The Penn State Brandywine baseball team claimed a pair of non-conference victories on Senior Day, sending the team's six seniors off with a sweep of the College of New Rochelle on Saturday afternoon. The Lions won game one 5-2 and then took the nightcap by a score of 4-2.
Trailing 2-0 entering the fifth inning of the opener, Brandywine pushed across all five of its runs, including four that came with two outs. Back-to-back singles by T.J. Wiest (Aston, Pa./Sun Valley) and Andre Pendleton (Narberth, Pa./Harriton) followed by a base hit by Tommy Crumlish (Upper Darby, Pa./Monsignor Bonner) plated Brandywine's first run.
Four batters later, Joey Buoni (Chester Heights, Pa./Salesianum) worked a bases-loaded walk to force in the game-tying score. Chris Skahill (Media, Pa./Penncrest) added an RBI single before Will Scott-Norris (Wilmington, Del./Mt. Pleasant) tacked on the final two runs with a base hit to left-center field.
Skahill went 3-for-3 at the plate, while Pendleton added two hits. Nick Petrella (Garnet Valley, Pa./Garnet Valley) earned his first collegiate victory after tossing 3.1 scoreless innings in relief of Bradley Ulmer (Newark, Del./St. George's Tech). Petrella struck out one and yielded only one hit, while Ulmer allowed two runs and fanned one during the first 3.2 innings.
The Blue Angels scored an uneared run in the first inning of game two to grab an early lead, but Brandywine countered with two runs in the fourth inning to move in front.
Brett Sheeran (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) doubled and scored on Matt Masi's (West Chester, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) two-base hit, while Buoni put Brandywine ahead with a single, plating Masi.
New Rochelle answered with a run on a fielder's choice in the fifth inning to knot the score at 2-2.
Brandywine took the lead with a pair of two-out runs in the sixth inning thanks to a New Rochelle throwing error. Brian Reynolds (Newtown Square, Pa./Marple Newtown) led off with a base hit and Buoni reached on an error to put two men on base for Brandywine. With two outs, CNR appeared to have the final out of the inning when Brendan Ricciardi (Media, Pa./Strath Haven) was struck out, but a dropped third strike and errant throw to first base allowed both Reynolds and Buoni to score.
Buoni relieved Skahill in the seventh inning, recording the final two outs to tally his first save. Skahill surrendered only one run (unearned) on one hit, while striking out three in 4.1 innings. Crumlish, who played all nine positions on Saturday, went the first two innings on the mound, striking out one.
Masi produced two of Brandywine's seven hits, both doubles, and also stole two bases to lead the offense.
Brandywine (18-15, 11-3 PSUAC) closes out the regular season on Monday at Penn State Schuylkill at 4:00 pm.
