Brandywine Takes Two On Senior Night; Continues Best Start Since 2008

ASTON, Pa. – The Penn State Brandywine baseball team posted a doubleheader sweep of Penn State University Athletic Conference foe Penn State Hazleton Monday night, recording victories by scores of 5-3 and 6-4. At 8-1 overall (6-1 PSUAC) is off to its best start to a season since 2008-09 when the Lions won 11 of their first 12 games.

Game One: Penn State Brandywine 5, Penn State Hazleton 3

Tyler Wright (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) fanned 12 Hazleton hitters to lead Brandywine in the opener. Wright went 6.2 innings, limiting the visitors to five hits and three fourth-inning runs to earn his second victory. Wright's 12 strikeouts were one short of tying a Brandywine single-game record.

Evan Abegg (Commerce City, Colo./Prairie View), Tyler Brooks (Oxford, Pa./Oxford) and Ben Mutz (Swarthmore, Pa./Strath Haven) all paced the Lions on offense by producing a pair of hits. Mutz also knocked in two runs and recorded the game's final out with a strikeout to earn the save, while Hayden Altimari (Dix Hills, N.Y./St. Anthony's) reached base safely three times and scored twice.

Brandywine scored three times in the first inning as Brooks legged out an infield single that scored Altimari and Mutz followed with a two-run triple.

After Hazleton tied the score in the fourth, Brandywine went back on top as Mutz doubled with one out and scored on Cam Baughman's (Oxford, Pa./Oxford) two-base hit. The Lions added an insurance run one frame later when Nick Wright (Aston, Pa./Sun Valley) provided a bases-loaded single, scoring Altimari.

Game Two: Penn State Brandywine 6, Penn State Hazleton 4

Brandywine scored four times in the sixth inning to jump in front and Mutz closed the door in the seventh to help the Lions sweep the doubleheader.

Trailing 2-0 entering the bottom of the third inning, Brandywine knotted the score at 2-2 without the benefit of a hit. Dalton Palmer (Shrewsbury, Pa./Susquehannock) walked with one out, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored via Hazleton error for Brandywine's first run. After bases on balls were issued to three-straight batters, Brooks plated pinch-runner Lamar Thomas (Philadelphia, Pa./Philadelphia Performing Arts) with a sacrifice fly to tie the count.

Hazleton went back in front during the top of the sixth inning, but Brandywine needed just one hit to take the lead during the bottom of the frame as the Lions took advantage of four walks, a hit batter and a Hazleton error. Brooks crossed home on the error to tie the score, while Mutz and Toby Skeans (Stevensville, Md./Kent Island) were forced home when Palmer and Brian Reynolds (Newtown Square, Pa./Marple Newtown) were issued bases-loaded walks. Altimari reached on a fielder's choice that scored Baughman with the final run.

Mutz recorded the final three outs to record his second save of the night and four of the spring after relieving starter Dan Nearey (Aston, Pa./Sun Valley). Nearey struck out seven over six-plus innings, while allowing three earned runs as he collected his second win.

Brandywine needed just a pair of hits, both of the bat of Mutz, to claim the victory after Hazleton pitching yielded nine bases on balls.

Brandywine (8-1, 6-1 PSUAC) visits Penn State York on April 13 for a 3:00 pm game.