Scranton Lions Baseball Captures their First Victory of the Season 

By: Ross Turetsky, Penn State Scranton Athletics 

DUNMORE, Pa - On a beautiful Sunday afternoon in the electric city, the Penn State Scranton Lions baseball squad split a doubleheader against local non-conference foe the King's College Monarchs on the turf field of Dunmore's Schautz Stadium. In game one, the Lions roared to their first win of the young season with a 7-4 triumph, before falling in the nightcap 11-6.  

In the opening contest, after spotting King's an early 2-0 lead in the third inning, the Lions offense woke up in a big way, tallying a pair of runs in the top of the fourth frame, two more in the fifth, a couple of more in the sixth, and one more for good measure in the seventh and final inning to ensure their three run victory. King's other two runs would come in the bottom half of the fifth inning which at the time knotted things all up at four apiece. Scranton also out hit King's in the opener by a 13-10 margin.  

Scranton had an impressive quartet of players put up multi-hit performances in game one, as junior shortstop Mike DeWolfe, freshman catcher Luke Kirkey, fellow freshman, designated hitter Logan Moss, and junior first baseman Zach Benson set the pace offensively for their ball club. DeWolfe led the way with his game-high three base hits, going a dominant 3-4 at the plate, with a triple, a run scored, and a hat trick of RBI. Kirkey went a solid 2-3 at the dish, with a pair of RBI, and a run to boot. Moss was 2-4 in the battle, driving in two runs, and scoring once. Last but certainly not least, Benson also went 2-4 at the plate.  

On the pitching side of the things, sophomore right-hander Donald Healey got the start on the mound and threw a stalwart four innings, allowing just two earned runs, six hits, walked only one King's batter, and struck out five on the day. Meanwhile, freshman righty Braden Savage came in relief and earned the win with his three inning performance, allowing a pair of earned runs, four hits, a walk, and fanning two Monarch hitters.  

In game two, King's scored early and often, as they plated four runs in the bottom of the first inning, one in the third, a couple in the fourth, and put the contest away for good with a four spot in the sixth frame to ensure their five run triumph. The Lions from Scranton had a run in the top of the first inning, scored one in the second, one more in the fourth, and put up three runs in the fifth to cut the deficit to just a lone run at the time at 7-6. The Monarchs from Wilkes-Barre out hit the Lions in the nightcap by an 11-8 margin.  

Scranton had a trio of players with multi-hit ball games in the showdown, as sophomore catcher Thomas McIntyre, freshman left fielder Jacob Karsnak, and designated hitter Moss led the way for their squad. McIntyre went a stellar 2-3 at the dish and drove in a run. Karsnak also went 2-3, belting a triple, scored once, and had an RBI. Finally, Moss was 2-4 at the plate and tallied a run. 

Meanwhile, on the pitching side of things, the Lions started on the bump sophomore John Paffenroth and he hurled a hat trick of innings, giving up five earned runs, eight King's hits, and struck out a batter. Freshman Tyler Kopec came in relief and threw a third of an inning, walked four, allowed no hits, and surrendered two earned runs. Kirkey came in next and in his two innings pitched allowed three earned runs, a couple of hits, walked one, and fanned a batter. Lastly, Moss wrapped up the festivities on the mound with his 2/3 of an inning pitched, giving up just one earned run, one lone hit, walked one, and struck out a two Monarchs at the plate.  

Now third-year head coach Collin Ferguson and his 1-4 Penn State Scranton baseball team will look to bounce back when they next host Elmira College this Wednesday afternoon for a doubleheader being played at nearby Mid Valley High School, with first pitch scheduled for a 2:30pm start time.