Nine-Run Fifth Inning Leads Brandywine Past Scranton

DUNMORE, Pa. – Penn State Brandywine busted the game open by plating nine runs during the fifth inning and held on to defeat Penn State Scranton 11-10 in a non-conference baseball matchup Saturday afternoon.

Cam Baughman (Oxford, Pa./Oxford) recorded a two-run home and a two-run single during the decisive fifth frame, part of a four-hit day for the sophomore. Kyle Oechsle (Coopersburg, Pa./Palisades) added three hits and two RBI, while Ben Norris (Wilmington, Del./Mt. Pleasant), Toby Skeans (Stevensville, Md./Kent Island) and Anthony Georgette (Cochranville, Pa./Octorara) all tallied two hits.

Brandywine's first six batters reached base in the fifth as Georgette reached via error and scored on Baughman's first home run of the year. Oechsle tripled before crossing home on Dane Groce's (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) base hit. Skeans added a run-scoring single, while Baughman and Oechsle tallied back-to-back two-run singles to cap the outburst.

The Lions added an insurance run in the seventh as Georgette singled and scored on a Scranton error. Skeans drove in Brandywine's 11^th run of the day in the eighth, pushing Norris across home with a base hit, and the Lions would need each of those 11 runs to survive a late scare from Scranton.

The hosts scored two runs in the fifth, seventh and eighth innings before producing three more scores in the ninth to get within one run; however, Ben Mutz (Swarthmore, Pa./Strath Haven) came on to pitch and recorded the final two outs to shut the door on Scranton.

Mutz registered his second save of the year in relief of Matt Brucato (Jamesburg, N.J./Monroe Township). Brucato went the first five innings on the mound, striking out five, while allowing three runs to notch his first victory.

Brandywine (6-1, 3-1 PSUAC) hosts Penn State Hazleton Monday night for Senior Night beginning at 5:30 PM.