Fayette Splits Pair with Penn State Brandywine

April 1, 2012

MEDIA, Pa. - Penn State Fayette split a baseball doubleheader with cross-state conference foe Penn State Brandywine on Sunday afternoon, dropping the first game 4-3 before a 5-3 win in the finale gave the Roaring Lions their first win of the weekend.

Fayette (4-12, 2-4 PSUAC) fell victim to a Brandywine walk-off winner in the opener, a game in which the Roaring Lions failed to score after a three-run first inning, and Brandywine battled back for the win. The Fayette victory in game two was the first win in four games over the weekend, as Penn College swept Fayette on Saturday afternoon.

GAME ONE: Penn State Brandywine 4, Penn State Fayette 3

The Roaring Lions started strong against Brandywine, scoring three runs in the first inning, but wasting a strong start from senior Sam Beucher (Connellsville, Pa.), who took the complete game loss. Beucher struck out six over seven innings, giving up four runs, only two earned, on five hits and walking only one.

A one-out walk by sophomore Chris Jeffrey (Garard's Fort, Pa.) was followed by a double by sophomore Alex Fogle (Connellsville, Pa.), who finished 2-for-4. After another walk, Beucher got the Roaring Lions on the board with a two-run single and junior Nolan Zavora (Charleroi, Pa.) knocked in senior Zach Durbin (Carmichaels, Pa.) to give Fayette a 3-0 lead.

Fayette left the bases loaded in the third, and Brandywine seized momentum with a run in the home half of the third with a lead-off triple and an RBI single to cut the lead to 3-1. Brandywine managed two more runs in the fourth with help from two Fayette errors and an RBI single to tie the score at 3-3.

A scoreless fifth was followed by another scoreless frame in the sixth, although Fayette left the bases loaded in the top of the inning. After a groundout, sophomore Connor McKeel (Upper St. Clair, Pa.) doubled to right-center followed by a walk by sophomore Braden Royer (Greensburg, Pa.). Junior Cody Ward (Connellsville, Pa.) walked to load the bases, but freshman pinch hitter AJ Tworzydlo (Centerville, Pa.) grounded into a fielder's choice as McKeel was cut off at home. A fly out ended the threat, and Brandywine went down in order to head into the seventh.

Despite a lead off walk by Durbin, Fayette was unable to score, and Brandywine capitalized. A fly out was followed by a walk, and a groundout advanced the Lions runner to second. A deep fly ball to left field went over Ward's head, as Brandywine secured a walk off win.

GAME TWO: Penn State Fayette 5, Penn State Brandywine 3

Fayette bounced back in game two, as Durbin pitched a complete game to secure the Roaring Lions' second conference win of the season. The Roaring Lions jumped out to another early advantage, but Brandywine answered quickly.

Tworzydlo singled to lead off the game, and after an error, Fogle singled to load the bases. Following a strikeout, Beucher came through for the Roaring Lions again, this time doubling down the left field line to plate Tworzydlo and Ward for a quick 2-0 lead.

Brandywine bounced back with two runs of their own in the first, but Fayette answered with two more in the second. Senior Jonathan Eicher (Uniontown, Pa.), who finished 2-for-3, and Jeffrey each singled, and despite two consecutive outs, Fogle doubled down the left field line to plate two and give the Roaring Lions a 4-2 lead.

Durbin escaped trouble throughout the middle innings, but helped Fayette keep a 4-3 lead going into the fifth. A two-out double from Beucher was followed by an RBI single by Zavora to give Fayette a 5-3 advantage.

Fogle finished 2-for-4 in game two with two RBIs, and Beucher went 3-for-3 with two RBIs. Durbin gave up eight hits and three runs, two earned, in seven innings, striking out six and walking three.

Fayette returns to action on Tuesday, April 3 at 2:00 p.m. against Penn State Greater Allegheny at Consol Energy Park in Washington, Pa.