Scranton Lions Baseball Wins Season Finale over Rival Hazleton

By: Ross Turetsky, Penn State Scranton Athletics

On Saturday afternoon, the visiting Penn State Scranton Lions baseball squad split their road conference doubleheader against Penn State Hazleton by losing a 6-5 nail-biter in game one, before roaring back to win their regular season finale 7-3 in the nightcap. With their impressive first victory in league play, second-year head coach Collin Ferguson and his Scranton ball club snapped their 14 game losing skid and wrapped up their 2023 regular season campaign on a winning note with an overall 8-27 record and a 1-15 mark in their crucial conference schedule.

In the game one seven inning affair, Hazleton put up a big four spot in the bottom of the first inning, one in the fourth, and one more in fifth frame to account for their six runs. Scranton got their runs by tallying a trio in the top of the fourth, and scoring a run in each of the final two frames to cut the deficit to a mere run, before seeing their valiant comeback attempt fall just short in their heart breaking 6-5 defeat. Overall, Scranton was out hit by a small 7-5 margin in the opening contest.

The Lions from Scranton had base knocks from freshman catcher Guy Mushow, sophomore third baseman and team-captain Mike DeWolfe, freshman shortstop Alex Pagotto, and seniors, right fielder Justin Craigg and center fielder Mark Longo in their final collegiate games of their highly successful careers. Mushow went 1-3 at the dish, drilling a double, and knocked in a pair of runs. DeWolfe was 1-4, whacking a triple, and scored a run. Pagotto went 1-3, with a nice triple, and scored once. Craigg also was 1-3 and tallied a run, and Longo was a perfect 1-1 at the plate, walking twice, and crossed home once. Freshman Thomas McIntyre recorded his club's other RBI in the battle and sophomore first baseman Zach Benson reached base twice via the walk. Finally, freshman left fielder Ryan Vinton chipped in with a run for good measure.

Meanwhile, the hometown Hazleton Lions had the dynamic duo of sophomore third baseman Jared Marykwas and junior outfielder Ryan Wingerter who led the way with their stellar multi-hit performances. Marykwas was a flawless 2-2, both hits being booming doubles, to go along with his pair of RBI, and he scored a run to boot. Wingerter went 2-3, stole a couple of bases, scored twice, and knocked in a run. Hazleton's other base hits came from senior first baseman Jacob Taschler who was 1-3 and drove home a pair, freshman catcher Andrew Meitzler who was 1-1 with an RBI, and last but certainly not least, junior shortstop Colin Hoy was 1-4, swiped a bag, and picked up a run.

On the pitching side of things, Scranton started McIntyre and he picked up the hard luck, one run complete game loss on the mound, tossing a gritty six innings, allowing six earned runs, seven hits, three bases on balls, and fanned a quartet of Hazleton batters on the day. Meanwhile, Hazleton had freshman Devin Wertz toe the slab for their club and he earned the complete game victory on the bump, throwing all seven frames, giving up five earned runs, five base hits, four walks, and struck out one Scranton hitter in his quality start.

In the game two nightcap seven inning affair, the road warrior Scranton Lions came roaring back by kicking-off the game with a big five spot in the top half of the first inning, and picked up key insurance runs, with one in the top of the fourth, and one more for good measure in the seventh and final frame, to ensure their impressive four run, 7-3 triumph by game's end. Hazleton recorded their trio of runs in the Senior Day contest by scoring a pair in the bottom half of the first inning and one in the seventh. Overall, Scranton out hit their opponent by a dominant 11-3 margin in the ball game.

Scranton was led on offense by the superb trio of McIntyre, Benson, and Craigg who each recorded power house multi-hit performances in the nightcap. McIntyre set the pace for his club by going a flawless 3-3, with a big double, and drove home a pair of runs. Benson was 2-3 at the dish, cranking a double, walking once, and scored a couple of runs in the battle. Craigg also went 2-3 at the plate, scoring once, and picked up an RBI. The Lions other base knocks came off the bats of DeWolfe, who was 1-3, stole a pair of bases, walked once, and scored twice, Vinton was 1-4 with an RBI, Mushow was also 1-4, ripped a triple, scored once, and drove one in, and Pagotto was 1-2, walked twice, and tallied a run during the proceedings. Lastly, freshman second baseman Alex Ferguson collected an RBI and senior Longo reached base in his final contest via the walk.

Meanwhile, Hazleton had their trio of base hits from Marykwas, freshman catcher Hunter Schmidt, and junior second baseman Bryce Dalpiaz. Marykwas went 1-2, walked once, scored a run, and recorded his team's lone RBI in the showdown. Schmidt was 1-3 and Dalpiaz was 1-4, with a double, and a stolen base.

In the pitching department, Scranton's senior ace, Longo, dominated in his final collegiate start on the mound, as he earned the complete game victory, tossing all seven innings, allowing just one earned run, a hat trick of hits, five bases on balls, and fanned a robust five Hazleton batters in his commanding outing. Meanwhile, Hazleton started junior hurler Mark Kokinda on the bump and he picked up the loss, throwing all seven innings, giving up six earned runs, 11 hits, five walks, and struck out a trio of Scranton hitters on the day.

With their regular season finale loss to Scranton, head coach Jeff Nietz and his Hazleton squad saw their four game winning streak come to an end, as they wrapped up their year with an overall 13-21 record and they were 5-11 in their all-important conference play schedule.