SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, Pa. – Penn State Schuylkill Baseball split their season series with Penn State Brandywine after splitting their Sunday doubleheader.
Game One: Penn State Schuylkill 2, Penn State Brandywine 1
A single at the top of the third gave Brandywine the first run of the game. Schuylkill responded in the bottom of the fifth inning, starting with a single by RayJay Marmolejos (Wyomissing, PA / Wilson High School). Marmolejos then stole second base, setting up a run for Schuylkill following a single by Jared Sterner (Hamburg, PA / Hamburg Area High School).
With Brandywine facing two outs and in position to take a 2-1 lead at the top of the sixth with runners at second and third, Tristian Baer (Hamburg, PA / Hamburg Area High School) struck out the next batter, giving Schuylkill a chance to take the lead.
Connor Licklider (Hamburg, PA / Hamburg Area High School) doubled and advanced to third on the next play. Nate Gilbert (Shoemakersville, PA / Hamburg Area High School) then drove in a run for Licklider, giving Schuylkill a 2-1 lead. Brandywine was unable to capitalize offensively in the seventh inning as Schuylkill went on to claim the win in the first game.
Licklider finished 2-3 at bat with a double and an RBI. Sterner and Gilbert also tallied RBIs. Baer went the distance on the mound, winning his matchup while striking out seven batters.
Game Two: Penn State Brandywine 6, Penn State Schuylkill 3
Brandywine took an early lead in the second contest with a double in the top of the second, driving in two runs. Another double in the next inning produced the same result, extending their lead to 4-0. A single later in the inning increased their advantage to 5-0 heading into the bottom of the third. Schuylkill scored their first runs in the third as Ryan Jarboe (Pottsville, PA / Blue Mountain High School) drove in a run for Marmolejos. Brandywine extended their lead to 6-1 with a home run in the first play of the fifth inning.
A walk by Pedro Rosario (Reading, PA / Wyomissing Area High School) and two consecutive singles by Ethan Naftzinger (Hamburg, PA / Hamburg Area High School) and Licklider loaded the bases for Schuylkill in the bottom of the second. Owen Zimmerman (Shoemakersville, PA / Hamburg Area High School) then drove in two runs to narrow Schuylkill's deficit to 6-3. Schuylkill was unable to complete the comeback as they recorded their third out later in the inning.
Naftzinger and Licklider each hit the ball twice while Zimmerman added two RBIs.
Schuylkill (11-8 overall, 2-2 PSUAC) will host Camden County Community College for their next matchup on Wednesday, March 27th.
