ERIE, Pa. – Chatham Baseball (26-12, 11-9 PAC) split their doubleheader on Thursday against Penn State Behrend (26-10, 11-4), dropping the first game 10-9 but grabbing a win in the second game by a 13-4 final score.
The Lions opened the game with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. In the second, the Cougars responded by taking the lead.
Dominic Colarusso's RBI double gave Chatham its first run of the game, then an error allowed Colarusso and Fluhmann to cross the plate.
Nolan Boehm's RBI base hit capped the scoring in the inning, stretching the Cougars' advantage to 4-2. In the third, Behrend added 4 runs to take a 6-4 lead. Chatham responded again, as Boehm doubled in
Angelo DeLeonardis and
Sean Kelley. Rueda followed with a double that put the Cougars back in the lead, 7-6. The Lions would even the score before Colarusso's RBI single grabbed the lead back for Chatham. After Behrend tied it again,
Caleb Jones drove in
Zane Pollack in the sixth. Unfortunately for the Cougars, the Lions scratched across runs in the sixth and seventh to snatch a walk-off victory.
Boehm collected 3 RBIs in a 3-4 performance at the plate. Jones also went 3-4 with an RBI. Colarusso was 2-2 with a walk, 2 RBIs and scored a run. DeLeonardis and
Hayden Woodward both scored twice for Chatham. On the mound,
Julian Baez struck out 2 in an inning and 2/3 but took the loss with 2 runs allowed in 3 hits.
The Cougars kicked off the game two scoring with a
Cooper Baxter RBI base hit in the first inning. Behrend would plate two of its own runs in the bottom of the inning, but in the second, Colarusso and Boehm singled in runners to take the lead before Rueda's double brought home DeLeonardis for a 4-2 Chatham advantage. The Lions knotted the score in the third, then DeLeonardis scored on a wild pitch to take the lead back. In the fifth, Baxter came home on a Brandt sac fly, and
Zane Pollack's RBI double made the score 7-4. Baxter added to the lead with an RBI double in the sixth. The Cougars tacked on 5 more runs in the seventh. Colarusso had an RBI bunt single, DeLeonardis doubled in Fluhmann, Rueda and Brandt picked up RBI bases on balls, and
Keegan McGraw was beaned, bringing in Boehm.
DeLeonardis was 3-5 at the plate in game two, scoring 3 runs with an RBI. Rueda finished 3-4 with a walk and picked up 2 RBIs and scored twice. Baxter went 3-5 and had 2 RBIs, scoring a run. Pollack was 3-4, driving in a run and crossing the plate twice. Colarusso went 2-4 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs. Boehm additionally collected 2 hits for Chatham with an RBI and a run scored.
Riley Baum tossed 6 innings for the Cougars and picked up his third win of the season. The sophomore allowed 3 earned runs on 8 hits while punching out 8 batters.
Matt Kossey finished the game with a shoutout inning, allowing no hits.
Chatham will close out the regular season tomorrow. The Cougars will need to sweep Franciscan in their 4 p.m. doubleheader to keep their postseason hopes alive.
