Brandywine Splits With Gordon To Close Out RussMatt Invitational

AUBURNDALE, Fla. – Joe Hurley (Downingtown, Pa./Bishop Shanahan) struck out 12 batters and went 4-for-4 at the plate to lead the Penn State Brandywine baseball team to a 11-4 victory in game one, but Gordon College held on to top the Lions 7-5 in game two during Brandywine's final two games at the RussMatt Invitational Wednesday night.

Game One: Penn State Brandywine 11, Gordon 4

Hurley set a career-best with his 12 strikeouts as he went all 7.0 innings on the mound to earn his first win. His 12 strikeouts are the most by a Brandywine pitcher since his pitching coach, Tyler Michaels, fanned 12 last season against Central Penn and are one shy of a school record. At the plate, Hurley delivered three singles and a two-run triple.

Brandywine broke the game open with a five-run first inning, recording six hits. Tom Donahue (Ridley, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) led off with a single and two batters later, Hurley recorded a base hit to put two runners on base. Ben Mutz (Swarthmore, Pa./Strath Haven) followed with a single to score Donahue, the second of five-straight hits for the Lions. Nick Wright (Aston, Pa./Sun Valley) added a run with a base hit, while Kyle Oechsle (Coopersburg, Pa./Palisades) doubled in Mutz and Jack Hedger (Oxford, Pa./Oxford) singled in two runs.

Gordon answered with four runs in the third to get within a run, but Brandywine put the game out of reach with a six-run sixth inning.

Nick Kutufaris (Ridley, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) singled in pinch-runner Cam Baughman (Oxford, Pa./Oxford) to start the frame. Donahue followed with a two-run double and two batters later, Hurley pushed two runners in with a triple. Mutz capped the scoring by plating Hurley with a sacrifice fly.

Hedger, Tom Donahue and Sean Donahue (Ridley, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) all tallied two hits as Brandywine produced its high hit total of the season with 14. Hurley and Brian Reynolds (Newtown Square, Pa./Marple Newtown) both crossed home twice.

Game Two: Gordon 7, Penn State Brandywine 5

Gordon built a 6-0 lead through two innings, but Brandywine battled back with a three-run third and two more scores in the fifth.

Hurley got the scoring started with another two-run triple and then scored on Mutz's groundout to make the score 6-3. Two innings later, Reynolds and Hurley both crossed home on Wright's base hit.

Gordon added a run in the sixth, but Brandywine brought the go-ahead run to the plate during its final at-bat; however, Mike Oley struck out the final two batters he faced to earn the save.

Ricky Palmer (Levittown, Pa./Pennsbury) pitched two scoreless innings and Derek Cappadoccia (Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains) struck out three in two innings in relief of Kevin Sessa (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown), who took the loss.

Reynolds went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Hurley added two more hits and crossed home twice to pace the offense.