Hurley's Home Run Helps Brandywine To Split

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. -- Joe Hurley (Downingtown, Pa./Bishop Shanahan) went deep twice in game two, including a three-run home run in the top of the eighth inning, as the Penn State Brandywine baseball team split with Penn State Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. The Lions claimed the night cap 10-7 after dropping the opener 5-4.

Game One: Penn State Wilkes-Barre 5, Penn State Brandywine 4

Brandywine nearly rallied from five runs down in the opener, falling one run short.

All four of Brandywine's runs came during the sixth inning after Wilkes-Barre scored twice during each of the first two frames and tacked on a fifth score in the fourth.

Back-to-back doubles by Brian Reynolds (Newtown Square, Pa./Marple Newtown) and Nick Wright (Aston, Pa./Sun Valley) allowed the first two runs to score. Hurley followed with a two-base hit, his first of five knocks on the day, scoring Wright, and then crossed home via a base hit from Hayden Altimari (Dix Hills, N.Y./St. Anthony's Prep).

The Lions recorded consecutive singles with two outs in the seventh inning, threatening to tie the score; however, John Fagotti enduced a popup to end the threat.

Altimari and Ben Mutz (Swarthmore, Pa./Strath Haven) both produced three hits, while Reynolds turned in a two-hit performance.

Game Two: Penn State Brandywine 10, Penn State Wilkes-Barre 7

Joey Buoni (Chester Heights, Pa./Salesianum) singled and Wright walked before Hurley sent his two-out blast over the right field fence to put Brandywine back in front 10-7.

One inning earlier, Hurley clubbed a solo blast that made the score 6-1 in favor of Brandywine. The Lions added one more run when pinch runner Sean Brady (Great Valley, Pa./Great Valley) scored on a groundout, but Wilkes-Barre stormed back, scoring six times during its half of the seventh to send the game to extra innings.

Mutz had to work out of trouble in the bottom of the eighth, stranding a pair of runners on base, to help the Lions secure the victory. Mutz struck out two during the final 1.2 innings in relief of Hurley to earn the win. Hurley had limited Wilkes-Barre to one prior to the seventh inning.

Overall, Hurley went 4-for-5, coming up a triple shy of the cycle, while knocking in four runs. Sean Donahue (Ridley, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) added two hits and two RBI, while Nick Kutufaris (Springfield, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) collected two hits.

The Lions struck twice in the first inning, using an RBI single from Donahue and run-scoring double by Jack Hedger (Oxford, Pa./Oxford) to take the lead.

Buoni and Reynolds both produced sacrifice flies, while Kutufaris stole home to move the margin to 5-1 after six innings.

Brandywine (10-10, 2-4 PSUAC) hosts Eastern University at Maple Zone on Wednesday night at 7:00 pm.