University of Pennsylvania Athletics

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The second-seeded University of Pennsylvania baseball team battled with third-seeded Brown down to the wire on Friday evening in the opening round of the Ivy League Tournament, but the Bears' four-run ninth inning saw them complete a late comeback.

Following Friday's defeat, Penn now gears up for a matchup with fourth-seeded Columbia at George H.W. Bush '48 Field at noon on Saturday.

Quaker Notemeal
*Jarrett Pokrovsky (2-for-3) and Nick Spaventa (2-for-4) paced the Quakers' offense with two hits apiece and a run scored.

*Senior infielder Ryan Taylor notched a hit, two runs scored, and two walks drawn during his trips to the plate, while also making more history on the basepath. His second stolen base of the outing was his 21^st of the season in conference play, which set a new EIBL/Ivy League season record. Previously this campaign, the Elmer, N.J. native broke Penn's career and single season stolen base records.

*Jack Warner, Gavin Degnan, and Ernie Echevarria accounted for the Red and Blue's remaining hits.

*Freshman right-hander Nick Newburn earned the start on the mound and tossed 2.2 innings with three strikeouts, while not allowing a run.

*Southpaw Marty Coyne threw a season-high 114 pitches against the Bears and finished with seven strikeouts for the fourth time this season.

How It Happened
Matt Luigs rattled off a leadoff single for Brown to get the game underway, but Newburn retired the next three Bears in order, sending Penn to the dish.
 
The Quakers were first to put a run on the board, starting with a leadoff walk from Taylor. The infielder proceeded to comfortably steal second before Secretarski's flyout to center field advanced him to third. Degnan was up next and his 13^th double of the season drove in Taylor to give Penn an early 1-0 lead.
 
Brown starter Peter Dubie and Newburn settled into pitching duel in the second inning that carried into the third. Coyne relieved Newburn with two outs after the rookie walked a pair of batters and the veteran escaped the inning by striking out DJ Dillehay.

Both teams tacked on a run in the fourth frame. Logan Meusy was hit by a pitch to begin the inning for the Bears and despite back-to-back outs for Coyne, Meusy crossed home plate courtesy of Christian Butera's RBI double to right center.

Spaventa and Pokrovsky got the Red and Blue off to a hot start in the bottom half of the inning with a double and a single. Gavin Collins then stepped to the plate and restored Penn's lead (2-1) with a sac fly to left field that allowed Spaventa to waltz across the dish. The frame ended when Echevarria hit into a double play in right field that left Pokrovsky stranded.

Coyne and Dubie dominated the fifth frame, both notching a strikeout, but the Bears' offense found its rhythm in the sixth. Meusy and Mark Henshon reached after a hit by pitch and a double to right center and Meusy soon made his way home when Jack Edmunds ripped an RBI single to right field. Brown took its first lead of the day (3-2) thanks to Andrew Hanlon's perfectly executed bunt that saw Henshon break for the plate.

Pokrovsky and Spaventa both singled in the bottom of the sixth, but reliever Christian Keel retired Collins and Echevarria to make his way out of the inning.

Quality baserunning was what fueled the Quakers as they tied the ballgame during the seventh frame. Following Taylor's second walk of the day, Secretarski ripped a ball to shortstop that resulted in a poor throw and extra bases for Taylor. The senior speedster comfortably dashed around the diamond to knot the contest at three runs apiece.

The Red and Blue snatched their second lead of the day on a hit and an error in the eighth inning. Pokrovsky reached on a four-pitch walk but remained on first only briefly, as an error at second base during Collins' at-bat allowed the senior to advance to second. Echevarria was due up next and his base knock to left-center field drove in Pokrovsky to give Penn a 4-3 advantage.

Brown's three hits and four runs in the ninth frame produced a 7-4 lead that drastically shifted the momentum at George H.W. Bush '48 Field. Alex Benevento tied the contest at four runs apiece with a sac fly to left field, while Henshon's double down the right-field line drove in three more runs to put pressure on Penn.

Camren Piwnicki came in to pitch in the bottom of the ninth and allowed only one hit to seal a first-round victory for the Bears.

Up Next
Penn looks to bounce back tomorrow as it gears up for a win or go home matchup against fourth-seeded Columbia. First pitch is slated for noon and fans can watch the action on ESPN+ or follow along through live stats.

For the latest on Penn baseball, follow @PennBaseball on X (formerly Twitter), @Penn_Baseball on Instagram, and on the web at PennAthletics.com.