PHILADELPHIA - The Quakers hosted UMBC on Sunday afternoon for the final game of their home-opening series and claimed a 10-5 victory. Thomas Shurtleff earned his first win of the season as Penn's starter on the mound and sophomore Aidan von Zuben was credited with a save.

Quaker Notemeal
*Junior first baseman Nick Spaventa launched his first home run of the season in game three, which was the start of a three-run second inning for Penn.
 
*Qwynn Ahearn went 2-for-3 at the dish on Sunday, which included an RBI single to center field in the fifth inning to extend the hosts' lead.
 
*Sophomore Ernie Echevarria earned the start at third base and finished his day 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored.
*Michael Powell finished his day with two hits in four at-bats, one of which was an RBI single to right field.

*Gavin Collins, Jarrett Pokrovsky, Gavin Degnan and Ryan Taylor each registered a hit on Sunday.

*Shurtleff notched his first win of the campaign from the bump and left-hander von Zuben earned his first save of his Quaker career.

How It Happened
Shurtleff wasted no time in the first inning, retiring the visitors' lineup in 1-2-3 fashion with two strikeouts. Brady LeJeune-DeAcutis got the starting nod for UMBC, and he faced only four batters in the first frame and didn't allow any hits.  

The Retrievers were first to put runs on the board. They had a runner in scoring position when Kyle Eddington knocked an RBI single to right field to take a 1-0 lead. Brooks Henderson kept the bats hot with an RBI single of his own, allowing Derek Paris to trot across home plate.

The Quakers took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the second inning, and it started with a leadoff home run from Spaventa. Ahearn was then hit by a pitch and later advanced to second when Echevarria was walked. Powell followed up with a single to right field to load the bases for the hosts. The top of the order was due up and Collins' RBI sac fly to center field sent Ahearn home. Pokrovsky then handed Penn the lead with an RBI double to left field that allowed Echevarria to score. LeJeune-DeAcutis escaped the inning by getting freshman Jay Secretarski to line out to shortstop.

Shurtleff continued to make life difficult for the visitors in the top of the third by sending their first three hitters back to the dugout.

Degnan led off for the Quakers in the third frame and reached second base after a throwing error at third base. The Lakehurst, N.J. native eventually made his way home thanks to a single down the left-field line by Echevarria.

UMBC reduced its deficit to a single run (4-3) in the fourth frame. Chris Harber was facing two outs when he knocked an RBI single to right field, allowing Paris to score.

Penn put together a huge fourth inning that featured four runs scored. Secretarski got the frame going with a leadoff walk and he eventually advanced to third after stealing second with a throwing error to follow. Degnan was up next and his RBI double to center field brought Secretarski home. Ahearn, Powell and Collins all followed with RBI singles that forced UMBC to make a change on the mound. Kailen Hackmann came in to relieve Owen Shaprow and he managed to get the visitors out of the inning.

Sophomore Aidan von Zuben took over for Shurtleff in the middle of the sixth inning, but with the bases loaded he walked his first batter, leaving the Retrievers with an 8-4 deficit. Henderson made it an 8-5 ballgame during the next at-bat with a sac fly to center field. Penn made its way out of the inning when Jesiah Carpenter grounded out to third base.

The Red and Blue added on two more runs in the seventh inning to take a 10-5 advantage.

Clean pitching from von Zuben saw him allow only two hits in the final two innings to earn the save and grant the Quakers their second win of the season.

Up Next
Penn returns to Tommy Lasorda Field at Meiklejohn Stadium at 3 p.m. on Tuesday as it invites Delaware to University City for a midweek contest. Fans can watch the action on ESPN+ with play-by-play commentator Cory Nidoh on the call. Live stats will also be available on Tuesday.
 
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