Fitchburg State Rallies To Knock Off Brandywine In Florida Opener

DAVENPORT, Fla. – Penn State Brandywine built a 9-1 lead through five innings, but Fitchburg State scored the final nine runs of the game as the Falcons defeated the Lions 10-9 during Brandywine's first game of the RussMatt Baseball Classic on Saturday afternoon.

Mike DeGirolamo (Frederick, Md./Frederick) got the scoring started during a four-run first inning by doubling in Cam Baughman (Oxford, Pa./Oxford) and Evan Abegg (Commerce City, Colo./Prairie View). Kyle Oechsle (Coopersburg, Pa./Palisades) followed with a base hit that plated DeGirolamo and Shawn Webb (Drexel Hill, Pa./Bonner-Prendie) later crossed home via wild pitch.

Baughman added an RBI double in the second before the Lions tacked on three more in the fourth inning. Nick Wright (Aston, Pa./Sun Valley) drove in two with a double, while DeGirolamo knocked in his third run of the day, recording a base hit that pushed Abegg across the plate.

Brandywine added its final run of the afternoon during the fifth inning when Ryan Snyder's (Aston, Pa./Sun Valley) sacrifice fly scored Ryan Brown (Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem), making the count 9-1.

Fitchburg collected two runs in the sixth before exploding for seven runs in the seventh inning to take the lead. Three runs scored via walk or hit batter before Vincent Eramo cleared the bases with a grand slam, his second long ball of the day.

DeGirolamo produced three hits and three RBI, while Wright tallied two hits and two RBI and Abegg scored twice and stole a base.

Abegg also struck out three batters during three scoreless innings of relief. Connor Thompson (Finksburg, Md./Westminster) started the game on the mound for the Lions. He yielded three runs on five hits, while striking out three in six innings.

Brandywine (3-2) looks to bounce back Sunday when the Lions face Eastern Mennonite for a doubleheader beginning at 2:45 PM.