Baseball Rolls to 13-5 Win Over Penn State Berks

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Bridgewater State University baseball team posted a 13-5 victory over Penn State Berks on Thursday afternoon at The Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach.

The Bears, who have scored 64 runs through the first six game of the season-opening spring break trip, improve to 5-1 on the season. The Lions fall to 1-6 with their sixth straight setback.

Junior righthander Nathan Labonte (Raynham, Mass.) tossed four shutout innings of relief to earn his first collegiate win. Labonte (1-0) gave up just three hits, did not issue a walk and fanned three.

After spotting Penn State an early 3-0 lead, the BSU offense went to work scoring two runs in the third inning, three in the fourth and then erupting for a seven-run fifth inning. Sophomore centerfielder DJ Prampin (Worcester, Mass.) belted his first collegiate home run, a solo blast over the left field fence in the bottom of the eighth, to cap off the scoring for Bridgewater State.

Prampin went 3-for-5 with two runs and three RBI to pace the Bears' 15-hit attack.

Sophomore second baseman Scott Emerson (Peabody, Mass.), junior right fielder Jay Wladkowski (Norwood, Mass.), senior first baseman Joey Molis (Cumberland, R.I.), junior left fielder Cam James (Ipswich, Mass.) and junior shortstop Kevin Lindsay (East Bridgewater, Mass.) also finished with multiple hits for Bridgewater. Emerson singled twice in six at bats, stole a base, scored two runs, and drove in one. Wladkowski went 2-for-5 with a double, a stolen base and two RBI, while Molis was 2-for-5 at the plate with a double, a run and two RBI. James reached safely three times in five plate appearances with a single, a double and a hit by pitch. He scored two runs and knocked in one. Lindsay went 2-for-4 with a pair of stolen bases, two runs and two RBI.

The Bears finished with seven stolen bases on the afternoon and six of their 15 hits went for extra bases including five doubles.

Senior second baseman Chad Evans (Collegeville, Pa.) went 3-for-4 with two RBI to pace the Penn State offense, while junior third baseman Colin Templin (Pottsdown, Pa.) unior first baseman Nick Bergeman (Coopersburg, Pa.) were both 2-for-4 with a run scored. Templin recorded the Lions' lone extra base hit with a triple.

Three Penn State pitchers combined to allow 13 runs (seven earned) on 15 hits over eight innings with a walk and nine strikeouts.

Bridgewater State's trip to Myrtle Beach continues on Friday morning as the Bears take on the Johnson & Wales University at 11:00 AM.