Falcons Rally Past Nittany Lions, 10-9

Maheu earns first collegiate victory for Green and Gold 

Davenport, Fla. – The Fitchburg State baseball team rallied for a 10-9 victory over the Nittany Lions of Penn State Brandywine in non-conference action at the 2023 RussMatt Invitational from the Northeast Regional Field #2.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 10, Penn State Brandywine 9

Records: Fitchburg State (3-0, 0-0 MASCAC) I PSU Brandywine (3-2, 0-0 PSCAU)

How It Happened

Penn State opened the scoring in the bottom of the first as junior Mike DeGirolamo (Frederick, Md.) laced a two-run double to left field, while senior Kyle Oechsle (Coopersburg, Penn.) added an RBI single to through the right side for the 4-0 lead.

The Nittany Lions upped the advantage in the following frame when senior Cam Baughman (Oxford, Penn.) doubled to left center to plate classmate Nick Wright (Aston, Penn.) to make the score 5-0.

Fitchburg State answered in the top of the fourth with senior Vincent Eramo (Sterling, Mass.) blasting a solo home run over the left field fence to cut the deficit to 5-1. Penn State pushed the lead to 8-1 as Wright notched a two-run double to right field and DeGirolamo added a run scoring single through the left side.

The Falcons plated a pair of runs in the top of the sixth when sophomore Liam Goldstein (Charlestown, R.I.) and freshman Adam Koza (Windham, N.H.) singled before junior Matthew Kelly (East Bridgewater, Mass.) drove in Goldstein with an RBI single and senior Zachary Malek (Schenectady, N.Y.) added a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 9-3.

The Green and Gold battled back to secure a 10-9 victory in the top half of the seventh with Goldstein, Koza and sophomore Michael Cooper (Fitchburg, Mass.) driving in runs before Eramo launched a grand slam to left center.

By The Numbers

• Eramo led the way for the Falcons, going 2-for-4 with two home runs, five RBI and two runs scored
• Sophomore Justin Maheu (Windham, N.H.) picked up his first collegiate win, allowing one unearned run on two hits with one strikeout over four innings of work
• For the Nittany Lions, DeGirolamo finished 3-for-5 with a double, three RBI and a run scored
• Junior Connor Thompson (Finksburg, Md.) allowed three earned runs on five hits with three K's over six innings pitched in a no decision for Penn State Brandywine
• First ever meeting between the Falcons and Nittany Lions on the baseball diamond

Up Next

Falcons return to action tomorrow as they take on the Firebirds of Carthage College on day three action of the 2023 RussMatt Invitational, starting at 9:00AM.