Mutz Plays Hero As Brandywine Stays Alive In PSUAC Tournament

DUBOIS, Pa. – Ben Mutz (Swarthmore, Pa./Strath Haven) hit a game-winning three-run home run in the top of the seventh inning as third-seeded Penn State Brandywine staved off elimination at the PSUAC Baseball Tournament by defeating No. 2 Penn State Mont Alto 5-3 on Sunday.

Mutz lined the first pitch he saw over the right-field fence for his second game-winning hit of the tournament with both coming in elimination games. Eight days ago, Mutz delivered a two-run double to put Brandywine in front of Penn State Schuylkill in the team's final at-bat.

Sean Donahue (Ridley, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) and Nick Kutufaris (Springfield, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) came around to score on Mutz's home run, the same two baserunners who score on his game-winning double against Schuylkill, after the duo tallied back-to-back singles to start the inning.

Mutz and Donahue both tallied two hits, leading a 10-hit attack for the Brandywine offense.

Joe Hurley (Downingtown, Pa./Bishop Shanahan) pitched a gem for the Lions to earn his second win of the season. After surrendering two first-inning runs, Hurley limited Mont Alto to one unearned run and one hit the rest of the way. Hurley struck out seven in seven innings on the mound.

Hurley also put Brandywine on the board for the first time in the third, using a sacrifice fly to score Tom Donahue (Ridley, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara). Sean Donahue's fourth-inning RBI single scored Brian Reynolds (Newtown Square, Pa./Marple Newtown) to knot the score at 2-2, but Mont Alto jumped back into the lead, scoring via Brandywine error during the bottom half of the frame.

Brandywine (21-16) will face either Penn State DuBois or Penn State Wilkes-Barre on Monday in another elimination game at 11:00 am.