Scranton Lions Baseball Capture their First Wins of the Season

On a chilly and windy Sunday afternoon on Mid Valley high school's turf field, the hometown Penn State Scranton Lions baseball squad won both ends of their twin bill against non-conference foe the City College of New York Beavers by an 11-8 score in the opening contest and by a dominant 9-2 margin in the game two nightcap to capture their first victories of the young 2026 campaign. With these pair of home triumphs, Scranton, who just came back from their spring break baseball trip in sunny, warm North Carolina this week, snapped their nine game losing skid to kick-off the season and improved their overall mark to 2-9.

In game one, the road warriors from New York got off to a hot start and tallied a hat trick of runs in the top half of the first inning, another three spot in the second frame, added a run in the fourth, and one more in their seventh and final at-bats, to account for their eight runs in the ball game. However, the Lions from Scranton would show lots of grit and resiliency and roar right back scoring a couple of runs in the bottom half of the first inning, two more in the second, a huge four spot in the fourth to take their first lead of the battle at 8-7 on a thrilling grand slam home run, two more insurance runs in the fifth, and scored once more in the sixth frame to account for their whopping 11 run scoring outburst. Overall City College held a slim 10-9 advantage in the hit department in the showdown.

Scranton had a trio of players put up stellar multi-hit performances in game one, as junior left fielder Jake Sullivan, stand-out junior center fielder Keegan Litts, and sophomore third baseman Joel Brennan led the way on the offensive side of the ball for their squad. Sullivan went a near perfect 2-3 at the plate, scoring once, drew a walk, had a game-high five RBI, and crushed the go-ahead grand slam home run to dead center field in the bottom of the fourth to give his club the 8-7 advantage and their first lead of the match. Litts, who defensively made numerous web gems in center on the day, was 2-5 at the dish, scoring a quartet of runs, and swiped three bags on the base pads utilizing his quickness. Brennan went 2-4, walked once, knocked in a pair, drilled a double, and added a stolen base to boot. The Lions other three hits came off the bats of junior shortstop Alex Brinkman, who reached base all five times he stepped up to bat, as he went 1-1, tallied three runs, walked twice, got hit by two pitches, had an RBI, and stole a base for good measure, junior second baseman Martino Tobasco was 1-3, with a walk, and a stolen base, and last but certainly not least, freshman right fielder Joseph McIntyre went 1-3, drew a walk, swiped a trio of bases, and scored once during the proceedings.

Meanwhile, City College also had three players with stalwart multi-hit games in the opener, as freshman catcher Tyler Persampire, sophomore third baseman Gerard Molinaro, and sophomore right fielder Demetri Zirogiannis set the pace offensively for their team. Persampire was a flawless 4-4 at the dish and crossed the plate twice. Molinaro went 3-4, knocked in a pair, and stole a base. Zirogiannis was a perfect 2-2, cranking a nice double, walked once, scored a run, and had a team-high four RBI. City College's other base hit came off the bat of their senior left fielder John Spallin who went 1-4, tallied three runs, and swiped a hat trick of bases.

On the pitching side of things, Scranton had freshman right-handed hurler Thor Kelly Jr. toe the slab and he earned his first collegiate win on the mound, as he settled down after a shaky first couple of innings and ended up tossing the first four innings, surrendering seven runs, six of them earned, eight hits, walked a couple, and fanned four batters in his outing. Southpaw freshman Mason Berresford came in relief first out of the bullpen and he threw a sparkling 1 2/3 innings, allowing no runs, just one hit, walked a pair, and struck out a hitter in his high-quality appearance. Finally, to wrap up the festivities on the hill, sophomore righty Michael Paciotti closed things out with his electric hard fastball and nasty off-speed pitches, as he tossed the last 1 1/3 innings, giving up just one earned run, one lone hit, walked no one, and fanned two batters. Meanwhile, City College started graduate student right-hander Noel Vasquez on the mound and he picked up the loss, as he threw 3 1/3 innings, surrendering eight runs, seven of them earned, eight hits, walked a trio, and struck out a Scranton hitter. Junior righty Amaan Jafery came in relief first for his squad and he pitched an inning in relief, allowing two runs, one earned, one hit, and walked a couple. Freshman righty reliever Tristan Bausenwein tossed 2/3 of an inning of shutout ball, without giving up a hit, and walked a pair. Lastly, freshman right-hander Jonathan Flotte finished things up pitching the final inning, allowing one earned run, no hits, and walked two batters.

In the game two nightcap, Scranton led wire-to-wire, as they tallied a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning, two more in the fourth, a robust three spot in the fifth, and two more in the sixth frame, to account for their whopping nine run scoring explosion. Meanwhile, City College was held to just a run in fourth and one in the sixth to account for their miniscule two runs in the match. The Lions out hit their opponent by a 9-6 margin in the contest.

Scranton had the dynamic duo of Litts and Tobasco lead the way with their multi-hit performances. Litts went 2-4, smashing a double and a triple, scored once, and an RBI. Tobasco was 2-3, with a run, and knocked in a pair. The Lions other five base hits came off the bats of senior designated hitter Guy Mushow who went 1-4, hammering a two run homer over the left field fence to give his team the initial 2-0 lead in the second inning, scored a run, and drove in two, sophomore catcher Isaiah Alicea was 1-2, with a run, and an RBI, junior first baseman Logan Moss went 1-3, scored once, stole a base, and drew a walk, Sullivan was also 1-3, scored twice, walked once, with an RBI, and sophomore right fielder Cameron Connelly went 1-3 as well.

Meanwhile, City College had just one player with a multi-hit performance in the nightcap, as Spallin led the way going 2-4 and tallied a run. The team's other four hits came off the bats of Molinaro who was 1-3 with an RBI, freshman DH James Anderson also went 1-3 and drove in a run, senior shortstop Erik Rank was 1-3, and freshman catcher Frank Cundari went 1-3 as well in the battle.

In the pitching department, Scranton junior right-hander Braden Savage tossed a commanding complete game gem, as he earned the dominant victory on the mound with his dazzling seven innings, only surrendering two earned runs, six hits, a trio of walks, and fanned three hitters on the day. Meanwhile, City College had freshman righty Manuel Martinez start on the hill for them, as he took the loss throwing four innings, giving up seven earned runs, seven hits, walked four, and struck out four Scranton batters. Freshman righty reliever Armani Smith came in next and hurled 1 1/3 innings, allowing a couple of earned runs, two hits, walked only one, and fanned a hitter. Finally, fellow freshman right-hander Colton Bausenwein wrapped up the day's long festivities by tossing the last 2/3 of an inning, without giving up a run, hit, or a walk.