4/30/24
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – A four-run third inning flipped the script, and the impending storm held off long enough for Lackawanna baseball to build a sizable lead before the skies opened up, as the Falcons beat Monroe College 10-4 in eight innings on Tuesday afternoon at Scranton HS baseball field. The game was shortened by lightning and thunder in the vicinity, with a delay called for initially, and then the game called over in the bottom of the eighth when the rain began to fall in massive droplets, pelting the infield and sending spectators and players flying to safety.
 
The Falcons (25-21) trailed 3-1 heading into the bottom of the third inning, but two errors and three wild pitches hurt the Mustangs (28-20-1). The Falcons had runners at second and third, thanks to a wild pitch, with one out, when Aydan McNelly (Sophomore; Limerick, PA) hit what looked like a weak, spluttering grounder to the pitcher. Monroe's pitcher gathered the ball, wheeled and threw to first, but the throw was off the line, allowing McNelly to reach and scoot to second, and the two runners came home to tie the game at 3-3. Jacob Simpson (Sophomore; Scranton, PA) singled the go-ahead run home, advancing to second on the throw in, then came around to score on two wild pitches to give Lackawanna a 5-3 lead after three innings.
 
The Falcons wouldn't be caught from there, adding two more in the fourth, then three more in the seventh, two coming on a towering drive to left from a returning Michael Miller (Sophomore; Lafayette Hill, PA). Two Falcons had multiple hits, as Nick Matson (Redshirt First Year; Nanticoke, PA) and Louis Kegerreis (Redshirt First Year; Murrysville, PA) each had two base knocks, with Matson scoring a pair of runs and driving in another. Michael Rickert (Sophomore; Moosic, PA) was 1-for-2 with a run scored and two RBI, and Simpson and Brooks Henderson IV (First Year; Feasterville, PA) each drove in a run. Kirk Stensrud (First Year; Glenside, PA) pitched three innings of relief for the win, giving up a run on one hit and striking out a pair.
 
Matson was the starter for the game, and navigated unscathed through the first inning, then singled in the bottom half to get the Falcons started. A throwing error put Matson on second via a failed pickoff attempt, and Kegerreis reached on a wild pitch for strike three, putting Matson at third. Rickert flew out to left to score Matson and make it 1-0, and the Falcons wanted more, but a liner to right was caught, and Kegerreis was caught straying too far from first, and ended up doubled off to end the first inning.
 
Monroe used that momentum to get itself up and running in the second. The Mustangs had runners on first and second with two outs, when an error on the infield, the second of the inning, loaded the bases. A double to left field scored a pair and gave Monroe the lead. Matson bounced back to get the last out with a strikeout.
 
The Falcons stranded a pair in the bottom of the second, and Monroe added another run in the top of the third, with Stensrud on the bump. A one-out double gave the Mustangs a base runner, and a subsequent ground out put that runner at third, so that a wild pitch could allow the run home and make it 3-1, Monroe. A two-out walk, followed by a stolen base and an error on the throw, put a runner at third, but Stensrud got the third out with a swinging strike out.
 
In the bottom half, Kegerreis singled to right with one out, and got to second on an error in right. Rickert walked, then both runners advanced on a wild pitch to bring up McNelly with one out. McNelly's grounder was fielded cleanly by the pitcher, but the throw was well off-target, giving Kegerreis and Rickert enough time to each score and make it 3-3. Simpson came up and hit a hard single back up the middle, which scooted deep enough to center to score McNelly, and gave Simpson the chance to advance to second on the throw, as Lackawanna took a 4-3 lead. Two wild pitches let Simpson get to third, and then score, and the Falcons took a 5-3 lead into the fourth inning.
 
The Falcons added more in the bottom of the fourth. Jake Kelleher (First Year; Exeter, PA) singled through the left side with one-out to get Lackawanna a base runner, and Matson looped a double to left field, allowing Kelleher to hustle around the bases and score to make it 6-3. Later, with two outs, Matson stole third, and then scored when Rickert inside-outted a pitch to the left side for a double to make it 7-3 after four innings.
 
Both teams got runners aboard, but couldn't get anything happening in the fifth, and Hayden Klyver (First Year; Wilton, CT) came to the bump for Lackawanna in the top half of the sixth. He was rudely welcomed with a laser-shot homer to right field to lead the inning off, as Monroe cut into the deficit at 7-4, but Klyver settled down to retire the side and keep the Falcons ahead.
 
Nothing happened until the bottom of the seventh, where the Falcons added a few more runs. Logan Mote (Redshirt First Year; Branchburg, NJ) drew a one-out walk, and was rewarded when Henderson doubled to left, scoring Mote and making it 8-4, Lackawanna. With two away, in stepped Miller, pinch hitting for Kelleher. Miller had missed most of the season with a broken hand, and then was hit by a pitch and missed more time over the last two weeks. Finally cleared to play late last week, Miller swung at a 1-1 pitch over the heart of the plate and belted a shot far over the left field fence, clearing the barrier with ease and giving the Falcons a 10-4 advantage heading into the top of the eighth.
 
With the gathering clouds and the suddenly disappearing sun, Monroe did get a two-out base runner after Klyver hit a batter, but a long fly ball to center was caught by Simpson to end the top half and strand the runner, and the call was made to delay, and then, ultimately, end the game, as the lightning and thunder made its presence felt, and the rain started lashing down.
 
Lackawanna has now won five straight games, its longest winning streak of the season, and has won in seven of its last nine games. The Falcons still have some non-region contests remaining before playoffs start next Friday. Lackawanna is set to host Luzerne County CC on Wednesday, May 1^st, in doubleheader action at Scranton HS baseball field. First pitch is set for a 3:30pm ET start.