MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - The Manhattanville College baseball team picked up their first victory of the season Sunday in Myrtle Beach at the Cal Ripken Experience after splitting two games with Penn State Berks.

Sophomore Danny Gallagher (Nanuet, N.Y./Paramus Catholic) had a big day at the plate for the Valiants, going 4-4 at the dish, driving in one and scoring two runs. Classmate Nick Campana (Yonkers, N.Y./Iona Prep) also had a strong offensive day for the Valiants with two hits and a run scored to help the Valiants to their first win of the season.

GAME ONE: Sophomore Anthony LoFaro (Haworth, N.J./Northern Valley Demarest) took the mound for the Valiants in game one against the Nittany Lions. The right-hander tossed three innings in his season debut, scattering three hits and allowing three runs. In the second inning, LoFaro walked the first two batters he faced, and allowed an infield single to load the bases with nobody out. The Nittany Lions jumped ahead 1-0 after plating a run on a sacrifice fly. Another base hit gave Penn State a 2-0 advantage after two innings of play.

The Valiants went down in order in the top half of the third, and the Nittany Lions struck again in their half of the inning behind the speed of Tom Grablewski. Grablewski singled to lead off the inning, and promptly stole second and third base. A groundout to second base scored Grablewski and gave the Nittany Lions a three-run advantage.

Manhattanville manufactured a run with two outs in the top of the fourth. With two runners in scoring position, senior Jake McGrath (Pound Ridge, N.Y./Fox Lane) beat out an infield single to score junior Joe Anselmi (North Rockland, N.Y./North Rockland). Penn State responded immediately in the bottom half of the inning, plating a run on an RBI double to left field.

The Valiants once again were able to cross the plate in the fifth, scoring a run on an RBI groundout from junior John Delahanty (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) to cut the deficit to two. Penn State put the game out of reach however in the sixth inning with a sacrifice fly to right field to make it 5-2, a score that would hold up to give the Nittany Lions the win.

GAME TWO: The Valiant offense found their groove in game two and helped Manhattanville pick up their first win of the season. Sophomore Pat Badia (Somers, N.Y./Somers) made his first start of the season for the Valiants, tossing 4.2 innings, scattering three hits and allowing just one unearned run.

The game which started off slowly featured plenty of offense in the final three innings. After both teams were held scoreless through the first four innings, the Nittany Lions scored the first run of the evening in the fifth, taking advantage of a Valiant error. Sophomore John Fanelli (Bronx, N.Y./Fordham Prep) came on in relief and retired the only batter that he faced to get the Valiants out of the inning.

Manhattanville responded with six runs in the bottom half of the fifth, putting Fanelli in line for the victory. Campana led off the inning with a single and scored on an RBI double from Conklin, chasing Penn State starter Zach Reis out of the game. The Valiants continued to roll when Gallagher drove in Conklin with a single to left field. Anselmi's bunt single brought home Gallagher to give Manhattanville a 3-1 lead and put three runners on base. Senior Nick Savarese (Merrick, N.Y./Sanford H. Calhoun) came in to pinch hit and delivered a single to left field. The Nittany Lion outfielder misplayed the ball, allowing all three Manhattanville runners to score and break the game open.

Penn State scored two runs in the sixth inning but the Manhattanville bats stayed awake in the bottom half of the frame. With the bases loaded, Anselmi, Delahanty, and freshman Luke Scoggins (Merrick, N.Y./Sanford H. Calhoun) were all hit by pitches in consecutive at bats to plate three runs. Junior Anthony Ianuzzi kept the trend going in the next at bat, drawing a walk to force in the fourth run of the inning. Senior Kurt Hommen (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) drove in another run for Manhattanville with a groundout to plate the final Manhattanville run of the game.

Penn State attempted to rally in the top of the seventh, plating four runs but the effort was not enough as Manhattanville held on for the 11-7 victory for their first win of the season.