Penn State Scranton Baseball Drops a Nail Biter in their Home Opener

By: Ross Turetsky, Penn State Scranton Athletics

DUNMORE, PA - On a picture perfect 70 degree day in the electric city, the Penn State Scranton baseball team lost by the slimmest of margins in their 2022 home opener, 4-3, against non-conference foe the Montgomery County Community College Mustangs. As Scranton gears up for the all-important conference schedule that kicks off on the road next Friday, March 25^th against Penn State Hazleton, their record in non-conference play stands at 0-3 on the young collegiate baseball season after dropping two tough contests at the University of Valley Forge last week.

After the Mustangs jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, the Scranton Lions came roaring back in the bottom of the fourth inning. Sophomore stalwart catcher Cole Bannan led off the frame with a booming double off the left field fence that just nearly missed leaving the ballpark, and then a few batters later he would score his club's first run of the contest when senior shortstop Carson Cacioppo came through in the clutch with a two out RBI double to left to cut the deficit to 2-1. After sophomore first baseman Morgan D'Amico collected his second RBI single of the game to extend the Mustangs' advantage to 3-1 in the top half of the fifth inning, the Lions would once again show tremendous grit and resiliency by scoring two unanswered runs in the bottom of the fifth and seventh innings respectively to tie up the matchup at 3-3. However the decisive and final score of the game came in the top of the eighth inning, as the Mustangs' freshman right fielder Jacob Phillips hit a towering double to right field and would come around to score the go-ahead and eventual game winning run after sophomore Tony Xanthopoulos hit the crucial two out RBI single to left field to break the tie.

Scranton got stellar pitching all day long, as their starting right handed hurler, junior Mark Longo, threw five strong innings, only allowing seven hits, three runs, two runs earned, two walks, and striking out six batters in the contest. Longo also was a star for his squad at the plate, as he went 1-3 with a single to left, while walking twice, reaching base three times, stealing two bases, and scoring two of his team's three runs on the afternoon. The Lions also got quality relief pitching performances from freshman Zachary Benson and Bannan, as Benson threw three innings, only surrendering two hits, one earned run, one walk, and had two strikeouts, while Bannan pitched a 1-2-3 perfect shutout inning while fanning two Mustang batters.

Meanwhile for head coach Mike Fitzgerald's Mustangs, they were led on the mound by the quality pitching performances of Xanthopoulos, D'Amico, and Connor English. Xanthopoulos started for his squad and pitched well in his five innings of work, as he only allowed two runs, one earned run, two hits, five walks, while striking out eight Lions on the day. D'Amico picked up the win in relief, as he was solid in his two innings, as he only allowed one unearned run, one hit, three walks, and fanned five batters. Finishing up the game and earning the save, English threw two shutout innings in relief and struck out four Lions hitters. As for the notable hitters for the Mustangs in the matinee, they had three multi-hit performances, as sophomore center fielder Marquise Wood went 2-5 with a single and a double and scored a run, D'Amico was 2-4 with two RBI singles, and last but not least, freshman third baseman English was 2-4 with a single and a double and scored a run.

Now new interim head coach Collin Ferguson and his Penn State Scranton baseball team will look to snap their mini three game losing streak as they take on Valley Forge at home this Tuesday, March 22 with first pitch at 3:00 pm.