WASHINGTON, D.C. - Penn State Harrisburg's baseball team extended its recent win streak to seven games thanks to a doubleheader sweep of United East counterpart Gallaudet on Saturday afternoon, April 16. The Lions rolled to a 15-0 shutout victory in game one before closing out the weekend with a 17-3 win in the rain-shortened nightcap.

GAME 1

Penn State Harrisburg (16-14, 12-2 United East) used 16 hits, including seven doubles, and another strong effort from Zach Gettys on the mound to cruise to a 15-0 victory in the opening game of Saturday's doubleheader at Gallaudet (5-25, 1-13 United East).

Gettys earned his sixth win of the year after racking up 11 strikeouts and allowing just three hits in five innings of work. Kevin Lehner stayed hot, going 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles, two RBI, and three runs scored. Robbie Skinner drove in a game-high three runs, while Josh Lantz crossed the plate three times. 

The Lions put up three runs before the Bison even came to the plate. After a lead-off walk from Dallas Hite, Lehner doubled home Chase Smith and Matt Parks before a Maddux Ryan single brought Lehner across to make it 3-0. 

The visitors added another run in the second thanks to a Parks two-out RBI single before they posted a five spot in the third after Drew Sassaman, Skinner, and Smith each doubled. Gettys struck out the side in the bottom half to keep the advantage at 9-0 but the Lions tacked on six more in the final five frames.

GAME 2

Penn State Harrisburg (17-14, 13-2 United East) put up seven runs in the first inning and never looked back in 17-3 victory over Gallaudet in game two of their conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. Thunderstorms ended the contest early after seven innings played.

Maddux Ryan was strong at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs, five RBI, and three runs scored. Julian Belardo had three hits including a double, while Matt Isaac went 2-for-2 with a triple and three RBI. Joe Licolli, Conner Breitenbach, Jake Stasyk, and Simeon Davis also had multi-hit outings.

In the opening frame, the Lions jumped all over the home team, racking up seven runs on four hits, including a pair of doubles, and three Gallaudet errors. The Bison got one back in the bottom of the stanza but the visitors answered back with two more in the top of the second.

In the third, Matt Parks doubled to drive in Licolli before Ryan launched a two-run home run over the fence in right field. After the Bison scored two in the bottom half, Belardo and Ryan hit back-to-back RBI singles to tack on two more before Ryan hit his second home run of the day in the sixth. A Gallaudet error led to the Lions' last run in the top of the seventh.

Reliever Riley Blatt took care of the bottom of the seventh before the thunder and lightning forced an early end to the contest. 

NOTABLES

- Kevin Lehner continued his strong play, going 3-for-3 with two doubles, two RBI, and three runs scored in game one.

- Dallas Hite, Maddux Ryan, Drew Sassaman, Robbie Skinner, and Kyle Serine all had multi-hit games in the opener.

- Skinner drove in a game-high three runs in the first contest. 

- Zach Gettys was excellent on the bump in game one, striking out 11 and allowing just three hits in five innings thrown. 

- Justin Emmanuel struck out four batters and did not allow a hit in two innings of relief work in the first outing. 

- Hunter Merritt earned his third win of the year in game two, allowing three runs on six hits to go along with five strikeouts. 

- Ryan racked up three hits, including a pair of home runs, five RBI, and three runs in the nightcap.

- Julian Belardo went 3-for-3 in the second game, while Joe Licolli, Matt Isaac, Conner Breitenbach, Jake Stasyk, and Simeon Davis. 

- After the three-game series sweep of Gallaudet, the Lions remain atop the United East standings with a 13-2 conference record.

WHO'S NEXT?

The Lions return home to face Mt. St. Vincent for a non-conference tilt on Tuesday afternoon, April 19.

STAY CONNECTED