WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (March 5) – The Waynesburg University baseball team improved to 4-0 on the young 2018 season after sweeping two games against Penn State Brandywine on Monday. The Yellow Jackets rolled to a 13-6 win in the opener, then came back to pick up a walk-off 3-2 triumph in game two.
 
The Jackets scored at least one run in each of the first five innings of game one to take a 12-0 lead into the bottom of the frame. Brandywine (2-5) tried to mount a late comeback with three-run outputs in the fifth and seventh innings. Waynesburg's final tally came in the top of the seventh.
 
The Waynesburg offense produced 10 hits in the victory and was helped by six errors from the Lions. The Orange and Black also drew eight walks and had two of its own hit by pitches.
 
Sophomore designated hitter Colton Uzzell posted a two-for-two effort with a double, two RBI, two runs scored and two walks. Freshman leftfielder Alex Toussaint went two-for-four with an RBI in his collegiate debut.
 
Senior Noah Lolley got the win on the mound after starting and working 6.1 innings. He gave up six runs, five of which were earned on nine hits and a walk. Lolley struck out six, before turning the ball over to freshman Jaylen Coyne-Martinez, who retired both batters he faced to close out the win.
 
Junior pitcher Brandon Lawless led Waynesburg from the mound in game two. Though he didn't get the win, Lawless put together maybe the best performance of his collegiate career. He piled up eight strikeouts and allowed two runs on just three hits and two walks over 6.2 innings of work.
 
The duo of junior Nate Gearhart and freshman Tyler Srbinovich closed out the day from the bullpen. After Gearhart retired two of the three batters he faced, Srbinovich did the same to improve to 2-0, with both victories coming in relief.
 
After the two teams failed to score over the first three innings of play, Brandywine took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth. Waynesburg answered the Lions' challenge with a two-spot of its own in the bottom of the sixth.
 
Freshman catcher Chris Lee plated the Jackets' first run on a fielder's choice that allowed junior Jaret Berardinelli to sprint home. Two batters later, with the bases loaded, junior Mitch Nordstrom absorbed the sting of getting hit by a pitch to tie the game at 2-2.
 
The game went into extra innings following a scoreless seventh and after Brandywine put two runners on the base paths with one out on the board, Srbinovich came in to close down the eighth-inning rally.
 
Sophomore Vinny Monico opened Waynesburg's half of the frame with a walk before stealing second base. Free passes to juniors Mitch Nordstrom and Tyler Reis loaded things up for sophomore Justin Buberl, who continued a strong start to his spring training trip with the walk-off RBI single that kept the Jackets undefeated.
 
Uzzell and sophomore Brenden Kohan both logged two hits for the victors. Uzzell had Waynesburg's only extra-base knock, a double, of the late contest.
 
After playing two teams who also call the Keystone State home, Waynesburg will square off in a doubleheader with Concordia (Minn.) early tomorrow morning. First pitch is scheduled for 9 a.m.