Brandywine Sweeps Non-Conference Twin Bill

HARRISBURG, Pa. – Penn State Brandywine continued its winning ways by extending the program's longest winning streak in 16 years after sweeping a non-conference baseball doubleheader at Central Penn on Tuesday afternoon. The Lions captured game one by a 13-7 score and claimed the nightcap 10-1.
Game One: Penn State Brandywine 13, Central Penn 7

Four players had three-hit games as Penn State Brandywine pushed its winning streak to 10-straight, its longest streak since winning 12 consecutive games during the 2008 season, with a 13-7 victory in the opener.

Evan Abegg (Commerce City, Colo./Prairie View), Mike DeGirolamo (Frederick, Md./Frederick), Sam Benvignati (Aston, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) and Ryan Brown (Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem) all collected a trio of knocks. Benvignati, Brown, DeGirolamo and Ian Merrin (Upper Chichester, Pa./Chichester) all drove in three runs, while Brown and Vernon Davis (Sharon Hill, Pa./Penn Wood) both stole three bases. Brandywine swiped 12 bags in 13 attempts overall.

Back-to-back RBI singles from DeGirolamo and Benvignati and a bases-loaded walk issued to Merrin gave the Lions a 3-0 edge through one inning. The Lions added two more scores in the third as Merrin drove in Brown with a base hit and Davis crossed home via wild pitch.

Central Penn trimmed the margin to 5-3 after three innings, but Brandywine answered with a three spot in the fifth. Benvignati and Brown recorded consecutive run-scoring base hits and two batters later, Merrin lifted a sacrifice fly that was deep enough to score Brown.

Toby Skeans (Stevensville, Md./Kent Island) laced a two-out, two-run triple in the sixth to make the count 10-4 and Brandywine capped the scoring with a trio of markers in the seventh, including RBI singles from DeGirolamo and Brown.

Kaleb Merendino (Glen Mills, Pa./Penncrest) pitched the first 3.1 frames to earn his first college victory. He struck out one and surrendered four runs on three hits. Jacob Weeks (Middletown, Del./Middletown) tossed three scoreless innings in relief of Merendino and posted three strikeouts, while Campbell Smith (Cape Coral, Fla./Cape Coral) retired the final two batters during the seventh inning via strikeout.

Game Two: Penn State Brandywine 10, Central Penn 1

Brandywine won game two in a rout, rolling to a 10-1 victory.

Cam Baughman (Oxford, Pa./Oxford) produced four of Brandywine's 10 hits and collected five RBI, while Brown walked three times, scored a trio of runs and stole two more bases. DeGirolamo posted his second two-hit game of the day and Owen Lawton (Glenmoore, Pa./Downingtown East) drove in a pair of runs.

Baughman slugged his team-leading fourth home run of the spring, a three-run shot that gave the Lions a 3-0 advantage through one inning. He added a two-run double in the fourth inning as Brandywine opened up a 6-1 lead.

The Lions padded their edge with four more runs in the sixth inning. Brown scored following a Central Penn error before Lawton delivered a two-run triple and scored on Merrin's base hit.

Jack Johnston (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) earned his first victory of the season. He limited the Knights to one run on two hits over 5.0 innings. Connor Thompson (Finksburg, Md./Westminster) tossed 1.2 scoreless innings, while Ty Coccia (West Chester, Pa./West Chester East) recorded the game's final out.

Brandywine (17-8, 10-2 PSUAC) visits Penn State Scranton for two games on Friday beginning at 2:00 PM.