4/29/25
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Lackawanna College baseball was forced to rally four times in six innings to win its fifth straight game with a 15-11 triumph over SUNY Westchester CC on Tuesday afternoon at Scranton HS baseball field.
 
The Falcons (26-15) came back from four different deficits, trailing 5-3, 8-5, 10-9, and 11-10 through the first six innings, taking the lead for good on back-to-back singles in the bottom half, then adding three more insurance runs in the eighth inning to help cushion their winning margin. The Falcons posted 18 hits, including seven doubles, while stealing five bases. They posted 15 runs despite stranding 13 runners throughout the game. Westchester (23-22-1) scored eleven runs on 13 hits, drawing ten walks and stranding 12 runners on the day.
 
Trailing 11-10 entering the bottom of the sixth, the Falcons got a leadoff baserunner when Mark Zuppo (Garnet Valley, PA) drew a walk. Zuppo advanced to second on a stolen base with one out, then took third on a ground out. With two outs, Jake Kelleher (Exeter, PA) singled to left on an 0-2 pitch, hammering a sharp ground ball through the gap in the infield. Kelleher stole second after a pitching change, and was standing on second with Deacon Brown (Williamsport, PA) at the plate. Brown hit a ground ball to short and hustled down the line. The throw was errant and offline, allowing Brown to reach and Kelleher to round third and sprint home to put the Falcons up 12-11 going into the seventh.
 
After giving up eleven runs on 12 hits through six innings, the Lackawanna bullpen pulled together and shut down the opposition, allowing just one hit and three baserunners over the final three innings. George Creighton (Somers, NY) retired the opposition in order in the top of the seventh, then Landon Brandt (Wapakoneta, OH) came on in the eighth and pitched around a leadoff walk to keep the Vikings off the board.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, the Falcons added some crucial insurance in the form of an RBI single from Jack Hughes (Hamilton, NJ), followed by a sac fly from Brooks Henderson IV (Feasterville, PA) and an RBI single from Nick Matson (Nanticoke, PA).
 
In the ninth, Matson came in from center field to pitch the ninth. After a leadoff walk, Matson got a strikeout and a fly out to put two outs on the board. A two-out single put two batters on, but Matson induced a fly out to right field to retire the side and get Lackawanna the win.
 
The visitors used a pair of doubles and four total hits in the first inning to take an initial 5-0 lead, but Lackawanna answered back with three runs in the bottom frame. A Kelleher double led the inning off, and later, with two on and two out, Henderson doubled to deep center to score a pair. Zuppo hit an opposite field single to score a third run and close the gap to 5-3.
 
In the bottom of the second, the Falcons tied things with a pair of two-out doubles from Hughes and Louis Kegerreis (Murrysville, PA) to make it 5-5 heading into the third.
 
Westchester answered right back, using a leadoff double and an RBI single to take a 6-5 lead. With the bases loaded and one out, a fielder's choice scored a second run, and then an RBI single to left scored a third to push Westchester back out in front, 8-5, heading into the bottom half.
 
A sac fly from Jason Prudente (Bear Creek Twp., PA) cut the deficit to 8-6 after three innings, and the Falcons came back again in the bottom of the fourth.
 
A double from Hughes, followed by a hit batter, put two on with one out. Henderson ripped a double down the left field line, scoring the pair to tie the game at 8-8. A ground out put Henderson on third, then a wild pitch let Henderson score to put Lackawanna in front at 9-8. After a walk, a hit batter, and a dropped third strike, the Falcons had the bases loaded for the top of the order, but a fly out was all they could muster.
 
Trailing for the first time, the Vikings rallied again, using a bunt single and a stolen base, followed by an error out in left field to score a run and tie the game. Later, with runners on the corners and one out, an RBI single to center field put Westchester back up, 10-9. It could have been more, but Josiah Williams (Emmaus, PA) used a soft ground ball to turn the rare 1-4-3 double play and get the Falcons out of major trouble.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, the Falcons tied the game on three-straight singles to open the inning, but 6-4-3 double play, followed by a ground out, ended any hopes of a potential rally. Westchester added another run on a sac fly in the top of the sixth, using two walks and some stolen bases to get into position. Williams got out of any major trouble when he snagged a laser line drive right back at him, setting up the Falcons for their final comeback of the day.
 
Seven Falcons had two or more hits, with Hughes leading the way at 4-for-5 with four runs and two RBIs. Henderson was 2-for-6 with a pair of doubles and five RBIs, while Matson had three hits and Kelleher had three runs and a pair of hits. Williams got the win, despite giving up three runs on four hits in three innings.
 
Lackawanna College has one more regular season home game, as the Falcons host Delaware County CC for a non-region contest. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30pm ET at Scranton HS baseball field.