Seventh-Inning Rally Lifts Brandywine To PSUAC Tournament Victory

LEESPORT, Pa. – Ben Mutz (Swarthmore, Pa./Strath Haven) hit a go-ahead two-run double as part of a four-run top of the seventh inning as the Penn State Brandywine baseball team rallied past Penn State Schuylkill 5-2 in the opening round of the Penn State University Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament on Saturday evening.

Walks issued to Sean Donahue (Ridley, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) and Nick Kutufaris (Springfield, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) and a bunt single by Tom Donahue (Ridley, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) loaded the bases with no outs for Mutz. Mutz came through, sending a two-run double into the left-center field gap, putting Brandywine on top 3-2.

Brian Reynolds (Newtown Square, Pa./Marple Newtown) added a sacrifice fly and Mutz crossed home on a wild pitch to cushion the Lions' lead.

Tyler Michaels (Aston, Pa./Sun Valley) set down the first two batters in the last half of the seventh and after a base hit, got Dalton Hughes to pop up to second base for the game's final out.

Michaels earned his seventh victory after tossing his fourth complete game. He struck out seven, while allowing two runs on six hits in seven innings.

Mutz produced two of Brandywine's six hits and drove in three runs. He put the Lions in front 1-0 with a third-inning single that scored Kutufaris. Schuylkill plated single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take the lead until Brandywine's final-inning rally.

Brandywine, the No. 3 seed from the East Division, will face the defending PSUAC champion Penn State DuBois on DuBois' home field at 12:30 pm on Sunday, May 5 to begin the double-elimination portion of the tournament.