MIDDLETOWN, Pa. – Penn State Harrisburg baseball fought back from an early deficit and rallied to defeat Lancaster Bible 7-5 in the third and deciding game of the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Semifinal Series on Monday afternoon, May 10. With the victory, the Lions secured a spot in next weekend's NEAC Championship Series.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Trailing 4-0 after five and a half innings, the Penn State Harrisburg bats finally got going in the bottom of the sixth, with a Bret Williams solo home run setting the tone for what proved to be a four-run frame. Chase Smith and Matt Isaac worked walks before Maddux Ryan came through with a two-out RBI single that cut the deficit to two. After a Lancaster Bible pitching change, Dallas Hite doubled down the left field line and drove in Isaac and Ryan to tie things up heading into the seventh.

The visitors responded in the top of the ensuing stanza when Josh Saufley lofted a sacrifice fly to left field and plated Adam Naylor from third to reclaim the lead for the Chargers. It didn't take long for the Lions to answer back with a crooked number, however, and Isaac worked a bases-loaded walk that pushed Ryan McSorley across before Bechtold did the same in the bottom of the frame. Ryan tacked on an insurance run with a sac fly that drove in Parks to make it 7-5 after seven.

Michael De Leon took the mound in the top of the eighth and promptly struck out the side. After opening the top of the ninth with another strikeout, LBC managed a pair of base runners. With Saufley at the plate representing the go-ahead run, De Leon got his fifth strikeout to end the game and reserve a spot for Penn State Harrisburg in next weekend's NEAC Championship Series.

NOTABLES:

- With the victory, Penn State Harrisburg advanced to its third consecutive conference championship series.

- Dallas Hite was 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI.

- Bret Williams went 2-for-3 with a home run, a double, two walks, two runs scored.

- Maddux Ryan drove in a pair of runs and scored another himself.

- Matt Isaac and Casey Winters

- The Lions managed just seven hits but worked eight walks on the day.

- Drew Harshbarger got the start, going three innings and striking out four without allowing a hit or walk.

- Tyler Stabley picked up his second victory of the season, surrendering no hits or walks in 0.2 innings of work.

- Michael De Leon earned his first save of the spring, allowing no hits and striking out five in the game's final two innings.

WHO'S NEXT?

Penn State Harrisburg will host the 2021 NEAC Championship Series beginning on Saturday afternoon, May 15. The Lions will face the winner of the Penn State Abington/Penn College semifinal series set to begin tomorrow afternoon.