Gwynedd Valley, Pa. - (3/20/2022) - Gwynedd Mercy University (7-8) completed a four-game sweep of Penn State University (PSU) York (0-4) with today's Senior Day doubleheader. The Griffins took a pair from the Nittany Lions on Saturday (Mar. 19) afternoon, adding late runs to support a complete-game effort from sophomore Frank Ebling (Cherry Hill, N.J.) (W, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 3 BB 5 K) and scoring five fifth-inning runs to defeat PSU York 13-2 and 9-5 on their own turf. Sunday's (Mar. 20) Senior Day doubleheader brought the Nittany Lions to the Gwynedd Mercy University campus field. There, the Griffins honored their nine-man senior class; catcher/infielder Connor Boyd (Brookhaven, Pa.), middle infielder Rob Bailey (Abington, Pa.), outfielder Brett Swire (Boyertown, Pa.), outfielder Jack Jamison (Philadelphia, Pa.), infielder Jake Martell (Yardley, Pa.), infielder/pitcher Billy Collins (Hatfield, Pa.), catcher Nate Campbell (Royersford, Pa.), outfielder/catcher T.J. Brasier (Levittown, Pa.), and pitcher Alex Kaupp (Feasterville, Pa.), before taking two more from the Nittany Lions. The Griffins scored 14 runs in the sixth inning of game one, escalating a 12-1 lead to a 26-1 victory. The four-game sweep was completed with a 7-3 win in game two; freshman Ryan Bailey (Abington, Pa.) earning his first victory of the season; W, 7.0 IP, 10 H, 3 R 2 ER, 3 K.

Ebling dealt in the first game of the four-game series. He kept the scoreboard clean for the first three innings, while the Griffins plated four third-inning runs. A Martell sacrifice fly, a Swire line drive to left field, a Collins single to center field, and a Price double to center field accounted for the scores. Martell singled in the fifth Griffin run in the top of the fourth inning, giving Gwynedd Mercy University a 5-0 lead. The Nittany Lions got one back in the bottom of the frame, 5-1, and narrowed the margin by a run with a fifth-inning run; 5-2. Eight Griffin runs between the sixth (3 runs) and seventh (5 runs) innings pushed the final margin to 11 scores; 13-2. Six Griffins had multiple hits; Collins (3-for-5, R, 5 RBI), junior first baseman Nick Price (Levittown, Pa.) (3-for-4, BB, RBI) led the group with three hits apiece. The former totaled five runs-batted-in (RBI) with hits in the third, sixth, and seventh innings. Ebling struck our five Nittany Lions while allowing two runs on five hits and three walks.

In game two, PSU York owned a 4-1 lead after two innings and a 4-3 lead after third inning. Gwynedd Mercy University scored their two third-inning runs with a Campbell hit-by-pitch and a wild pitch, but gabbed hold of the affair with a five-run fifth inning; 8-4. Campbell knocked in a run with a sixth-inning ground out, 9-4, and the Nittany Lions got it back with a fleeting tally in the seventh; 9-5. Swire (2-for-5, R, 3 RBI) and Collins (2-for-3, R, 2 RBI) both recorded two hits. Freshman Cooper Root (Runnemede, N.J.) earned his first collegiate win with four innings of scoreless relief; 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 4 K.

Game three was a runaway as Gwynedd Mercy University was already up 12-1 before 14-run sixth-inning runs added insult to injury in a 26-1 final. Swire knocked in seven runs with a first-inning ground out, a third-inning single to right field, a fifth-inning single to left field, and both a single and a walk in the extended sixth inning. He was 4-for-5 with a walk and three runs. Collins was 3-for-4 with two walks, two runs, and 5 RBI. Junior Trey Livingstone (Pennsburg, Pa.) earned his first collegiate win with five innings of quality relief; 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K).

Sophomore right fielder Barry Walker (Egg Harbor City, N.J.) squeezed in the first run for the game in the second inning of the finale, 1-0. The Griffins added to their lead with Martell's infield single; 2-0. PSU York eventually evened the spread with runs in the fourth and sixth innings; 2-2. It was the bottom of the sixth that separated the Griffins from the Nittany Lions as walks to Collins and junior third baseman Noah Andress (Levittown, Pa.) set the table for victory. A PSU York error, a hit batsman, a Jamison bunt single, a wild pitch, and a Martell single to right gave Bailey plenty of cushion to finish out his victory. Bailey allowed two earned runs on 10 hits and three strikeouts.

Gwynedd Mercy University continues their non-conference schedule on Tuesday, March 22, when they visit Delaware Valley University for a 3:00 p.m. contest.