4/10/26

RANDOLPH, NJ – The Lackawanna College baseball team hit the front and never looked back, scoring five runs in the first and cruising to a 19-13 victory on the road at County College of Morris on Friday afternoon in the first of a three-game series in Region XIX Division II play.
 
The Falcons (11-19-1, 5-5) were top-heavy in their attack, getting a combined nine hits, seven runs, and six RBIs from their 2-3-4 hitters. Deacon Brown (Williamsport, PA), Sean Moore (Philadelphia, PA), and Jake Virbitsky (Media, PA) all had three hits, with Moore and Virbitsky posting three runs and Brown driving in three more. Lackawanna drew 12 walks and had 17 hits, nine of which were for extra-bases, while still finding time to strand 12 baserunners.
 
Lackawanna scored with one out in the first inning on an RBI single from Moore, which was followed by an RBI double from Virbitsky to make it 2-0. Julian Montez (Westfield, NJ) doubled home another run, and, after a sac fly, Quinten Jones (Harrisburg, PA) doubled a fifth run across, making it 5-0 before Morris could even get up to bat.
 
Starter Nico Nattle (Phoenixville, PA) gave up only one baserunner through the first three innings, via a walk, and held the Titans (2-15, 1-9) without a hit until the fourth. Nattle got out of trouble with two on in the bottom frame of the fourth, getting a strikeout to end the inning and keep the Falcons in front.
 
Leading 6-0 entering the fifth, Virbitsky led the top half off with a double, got to third on a passed ball, and scored on a sac fly. Jones doubled home another run with two outs to make it 8-0, Lackawanna, heading into the home half of the fifth.
 
A pitching change for the Falcons was taken advantage of by the Titans, who hit a two-run homer to get on the board. Back-to-back walks put two more baserunners on, but the Falcons managed to catch the lead runner stealing to put the first out on the board. Another walk put a second runner on, and a wild pitch made it runners on the corners. Levi Hooven (Johnson City, TN) came on in relief, traded a ground out for a run, and then got a line out to end the inning and keep Lackawanna ahead at 8-3.
 
Lackawanna scored three in the top of the sixth, coming via a wild pitch, a sac fly, and an error, but Morris placed five more runs in the home half, taking advantage of two Lackawanna errors to get within 11-8 after six innings of play.
 
Brown walked to lead the seventh off, then scored when Moore doubled him home to make it 12-8. Later in the inning, a fielder's choice with the bases loaded made it 13-8, Falcons, and a hit batter with the bases loaded pushed it to 14-8, Falcons.
 
The Falcons added five more runs in the ninth, coming via a fielder's choice, a single, and a two-run double. Morris hit a pair of RBI doubles, one for two runs and one for three, to get within 19-13, all coming with two outs. However, a pop up to third stranded the final runner and gave the Falcons a much-needed win to start the weekend series.
 
Hooven picked up the win, pitching just two-thirds of scoreless relief in the fifth inning. Brown went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and two doubles, while Moore had three hits, three runs, two RBIs, and one double. Virbitsky was 3-for-4 with three runs, two doubles, and one triple. Mark Zuppo (Garnet Valley, PA) had three runs scored and three walks, while Jones finished with two doubles and two RBIs.
 
The Falcons have won two games in a row and are now 5-5 in region play. They will take on the Titans in a pair of games on Saturday, April 11^th, in a region doubleheader. First pitch of game one is set for 12:00pm ET at Scranton HS baseball field.