PSUAC Playoff Recap
State College, PA April 25, 2013:
The Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) baseball championships began today on Medlar Field at Lubrano Stadium. #3 seeded Penn State Brandywine took the field against the #2 seed Penn College. The game was a rematch of a double header played on Sunday 4/21 when the Brandywine Lions split with the Wildcats. The elements cooperated for the first time all season and the game took place in great baseball weather. The game shaped up as a pitcher's duel as both teams stranded runners in the first inning. Penn College jumped on Matthew Trotta in the second and turned four singles in to 2 runs. Trotta pitched out of a bases loaded jam to end the inning. Trotta settled down and held the Wildcats at bay with a wicked curveball and off speed pitches they could not figure out. Brandywine stranded runners in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th innings but finally were able to bring in a run in the 5th inning when Charles "Tre" Herman and Dan McMenamin each singled. Jim Murphy's sacrifice bunt moved Herman to third and Jimmy Quinn's sacrifice drive brought him home. Trotta quieted the Wildcat bats with six consecutive outs contributing two put outs himself. With their backs against the wall in the seventh inning, Brandywine rallied and Herman was pushed home on a hit by Jimmy Quinn. The game went into extra innings. Brandywine went down quickly in the top of the eighth inning. Matthew Trotta quickly took care of the first two Penn College batters with a fly out and some great fielding from the mound. The next batter was able to get an infield single and Penn College won the game on a ball that skittered into the outfield off an Brandywine player. They will play the loser of the Penn State Greater Allegheny/Penn State Beaver game that takes place tonight. The game will again be at Medlar Field at 12 PM.
State College, PA April 26, 2013:
Day two of the PSUAC Baseball Championships started at 12 today on Medlar Field at Lubrano Park with Penn State Brandywine playing Penn State Beaver. Both teams lost in extra innings Thursday and were ready to prove they wanted to stay in the competition. Joe Samahod took the mound and was stingy from the start. Beaver was able to get 7 hits over seven innings but Samahod kept the batters off balance and his fielder's handled everything Beaver hit. Shortstop Jim Murphy flashed leather multiple times robbing Beaver batters of hits. In the second inning Murphy jumped to catch a line drive and doubled up the Beaver base runner to end the inning.
The Brandywine bats came alive from the start; there would be no repeat of the previous night's stranding of runners on the paths. In the first inning Jim Murphy was hit by a pitch and then stole second base . Mario Dioguardi moved Murphy to third and Gabe Encarnacion brought him home when he reached on an error. In the third inning Brandywine exploded for three more runs in support of Samahod. Dan McMenamin and Jim Murphy both hit singles. Catcher Jimmy Quinn blasted a double that brought D-Mac home. Mario Dioguardi walked and Gabe Encarnacion hit a sacrifice fly that scored Murphy. Tom Osenbach hit a single to load the bases and senior Matt deBarberie hit a sacrifice that scored Quinn. The inning ended and both teams remained scoreless through the rest of the game. The 4-0 score was enough to give Samahod a 7 hit shutout.
Brandywine plays the winner of the Penn College/Penn State Greater Allegheny contest at 6 PM tonight. The winner of that game will advance to the Championship on Saturday.
State College, PA April 26, 2013:
A beautiful day of baseball ended badly for the Brandywine Lions when they lost to Penn College 5-2 to end a their season. The Lions needed a win to continue their quest for a championship but untimely errors and stranded runners came back to haunt the team. The lions jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first when Jim Murphy opened the game with a walk. Mario Dioquardi singled moving Murphy to third base and he scored on a sac fly by Gabe Encarnacion. Carmen Scota took the mound for the Lions and pitched a good game but Penn College was able to chip away at the defense with 9 hits. Penn College scored 2 in the 1st inning, 1 in the 3rd inning, 1 in the 4th inning, and 1 in the 6th. Brandywine threatened in the 5th adding one run. Tre Herman singled to start the inning and Joe Samahod walked to give the Lions two men on with no outs. Danny McMenamin looked to have a bunt single and an RBI but an interference call on the play at first wiped the slate clean and deflated the team. Jim Murphy was able to bring Tre home with a single but the rally ended there.The Lions were unable to get any momentum as their bats fell silent in the 6th and 7th inning.
The team's performance gave them a third place league finish and an improvement over last year's record. Coach Haines is excited to have all his pitchers back next year and a strong nucleus to build around. The Brandywine Lions will be a contender again next year.