2/21/26
 
THROOP, Pa. – Lackawanna College baseball hit seven home runs and managed to sweep its way past Bergen CC on a chilly, overcast Saturday afternoon at Mid Valley HS, picking up its first pair of wins for the 2026 season. Game one was a 7-6 victory in eight innings, while game two was a 16-9 victory for the Falcons.
 
In game one, Lackawanna (2-5) blew a 5-1 lead and trailed 6-5 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. Bergen (0-4) scored two runs via a two-run homer in the fourth, then, in the fifth, walked in a run with the bases loaded, scored a run to tie things up on a bases loaded balk, then used a fielder's choice to take the one-run advantage.
 
Down to their last out in the seventh, the Falcons sent Danny Stickney (Secane, PA) to the plate. Stickney got the count to 2-2, then drove that pitch to the left-center field fence, clearing it with ease and tying the game late. That nearly kickstarted the Falcon offense to get the win, as Lackawanna got a single from Jimmy Ernst (Franklin Square, NY) and a double from Jake Virbitsky (Media, PA) to put runners on second and third. An intentional walk loaded the bases, but Bergen struck out the Falcons to leave them stranded and send the game to extras.
 
Bergen had a runner on second with two outs, but a fly out to right stranded the runner and sent the Falcons back to the plate. After two outs, in stepped Deacon Brown (Williamsport, PA), and the All-American rode an 0-2 pitch to deep center, clearing the fence and giving the Falcons the walk-off victory.
 
The Falcons hit three homers in game one and had five extra-base hits. Ernst finished 2-for-3 with a run scored and four RBIs, including a three-run homer, while Brown went 1-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Stickney was 1-for-2 with two runs and two RBIs. Nico Nattle (Phoenixville, PA) was excellent in relief, giving up just two hits and striking out three in three shut-out innings of work, picking up the win.
 
Game two was a bit wilder, with Bergen opening a 7-0 lead after just 1.5 innings of play, only to see the Falcons score 13 unanswered runs to take the lead and eventually pull away for the win.
 
Lackawanna hit four home runs in game two, including a grand slam from Julian Abreu (Philadelphia, PA) in the second inning, as well as a two-run homer from Tristan Kuijer (Haarlem, NED), all part of a ten-run second inning for the Falcons.
 
Bergen led 7-0 heading into the bottom of the second, but the Falcons loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom frame. A bases loaded walk drove in the first run for Lackawanna, and a bases loaded HBP brought the second run in. Abreu turned on a 2-0 pitch and launched it over the left field fence with ease for a grand slam, bringing the Falcons within a run at 7-6. Later, with runners on second and third and two outs, Virbitsky singled to right to drive in a pair of runs and put the Falcons up 8-7. Kuijer followed with a long-arching home run to center that made it 10-7, capping off a wild second inning.
 
Kuijer singled in two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to make it 12-7, and Abreu drew a bases loaded walk to force in another run, but the Falcons stranded the bases loaded and couldn't cash in.
 
Bergen scored two runs in the sixth on a pair of RBI singles, but the Falcons answered with a two-run homer from Bobby Filler, Jr. (Philadelphia, PA), followed by a solo shot from Brown that made it 16-9, Falcons, heading into the seventh. Aiden Sgarra (Pottstown, PA) pitched a scoreless seventh, striking out three batters and pitching around a hit batter to keep the Bulldogs off the scoreboard to clinch the sweep.
 
Kuijer was 3-for-3 with three runs and four RBIs, while Virbitsky was 2-for-3 with three runs and two RBIs. Brown was 2-for-5 with two runs and an RBI, while Abreu had five RBIs. Filler, Jr. had three RBIs and two runs scored. Josiah Williams (Emmaus, PA) pitched two scoreless innings for the win, striking out two and giving up two hits.
 
Lackawanna is back in action next weekend with a doubleheader at home against SUNY Ulster CC on Sunday, March 1^st, starting at 1:00pm ET.