PHILADELPHIA – For the first time in a decade, the Saint Joseph's baseball team claimed the Liberty Bell Classic crown, topping Penn, 8-2, at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday night.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Penn (15-19) took the lead in the bottom of the first on an infield single by Jack Warner.
 
• Richard Beggy put the Hawks on top in the top of the third; after two-out walks to Alex Kelsey and Blake Primrose and a wild pitch, Beggy's single through the left side scored both runners to give the Hawks the lead.  Two batters later, Jason Janesko singled Beggy home to extend the lead to 3-1.
 
• Gavin Degnan got one back for the Quakers with a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth.
 
• Saint Joseph's (26-13) pushed the lead back to two in the fifth.  Beggy led off with a walk but was erased on a fielder's choice by Joey Pagano.  Two batters later, Pagano came around to score on a double by Tim Dickinson.
 
• The Hawks extended the lead further in the sixth as Kelsey was hit by a pitch for the third time in the game with two outs in the inning; Primrose followed with a triple off of "Monty's Angle" in center field that made it a 5-2 game.
 
• Kelsey scored again in the top of the eighth after a one-out single, a stolen base, a wild pitch, and another RBI single by Beggy.
 
• In the top of the ninth, Dickinson led off with a single, Alex Venezia walked, and Carson Applegate was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Joey Gale, who drew a walk to force in a run.  Kelsey then hit into fielder's choice to score Venezia and make it an 8-2 game.
 
• Andrew Gaines came in from the bullpen and retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth to finish off the victory.
 
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
• Gaines sealed the win for Justin Sweeney, who turned in an outstanding outing.  Sweeney faced one batter over the minimum, holding the Quakers without a hit while striking out six in four and a third shutout innings of relief.  Patrick Veintimilla got the start for the Hawks, allowing two runs, one of them earned, on four hits while striking out four in three and two-thirds innings.
 
• Luke Pokrovsky took the loss for Penn, which used nine pitchers in the game, after allowing three runs on two hits and three walks in one inning of relief.
 
• The three Hawk pitchers combined to strike out 12 batters without issuing a walk.
 
• Kelsey reached base five times in the game, while Beggy and Dickinson reached four times each.  Kelsey scored three times, while Beggy added three runs batted in.
 
• The title is the fourth in program history for the Hawks, who hoisted the trophy in 2012, 2014, and 2016.  Saint Joseph's made its sixth appearance in the championship game on Tuesday; the Hawks fell in 1999 and in 2003 in the final Liberty Bell Classic game to be played at Veterans Stadium, the previous home of the Phillies. 
 
• The four titles rank Saint Joseph's third in tournament history behind Delaware (nine) and Villanova (five).  The Hawks are now 4-0 all-time at Citizens Bank Park.
 
UP NEXT
The Hawks host Delaware on Wednesday afternoon.