READING, Pa. - Penn State Harrisburg's baseball team won the opening contest of a three-game weekend series at United East foe Penn State Berks by an 8-1 tally on Friday afternoon, March 24. 

Maddux Ryan homered and drove in five runs to lead the way at the plate, while Fisher Druck earned the win on the mound after throwing six scoreless innings. Dallas Hite had a multi-hit day and Matt Parks scored four runs. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

Penn State Harrisburg (12-5, 4-0 United East) got off to a good start and never looked back in its road victory over conference foe Penn State Berks (3-9, 2-2 United East) on Friday. 

A Brendan Henn single and a walk from Parks set the stage for Ryan's three-run home run to right field in the top of the first inning. Henn and Ryan turned a double play to erase a lead-off hit for Penn State Berks in the bottom half and Hite drove in another run with a two-out single to center field that plated Drew Sassaman in the second. 

Carlos Irizarry kept the Penn State Harrisburg trend of scoring with two away going in the top of the third when he doubled down the left field line and pushed Parks across in the process to make it 5-0. Druck retired the hometown Lions in order in the fourth and Ryan went back to work in the fifth,  driving in Parks with an RBI single before scoring on a throwing error after stealing third base later in the stanza.

Ryan drove in his fifth run of the afternoon in the top of the seventh when he singled to right field and again scored Parks after the latter walked, stole second base, and advanced to third on a balk. Penn State Berks got one back in the bottom half but relievers Christian Lubic II and Ryan Sawyer combined to retire six straight to end the game.

NOTABLES

- Penn State Harrisburg racked up eight stolen bases on the day.

- The Lions were patient at the plate, working nine walks in the game. 

- Ryan went 3-for-4 with a home run, a walk, five RBI, two runs scored, and three stolen bases.

- Hite was 2-for-4 with a walk, an RBI, and a pair of stolen bases.

- Parks finished 1-for-2 with three walks and four runs scored.

- Ryan's homer and Irizarry's double were the game's only extra-base hits. 

- Druck earned the win after allowing just four hits and one walk in six innings. He finished with five strikeouts.

- Lubic struck out two and did not allow a base runner in two innings of relief.

- Sawyer turned in a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth to wrap things up. 

WHO'S NEXT? 

The Lions finish off their weekend series at Penn State Berks with a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon, March 26. 

STAY CONNECTED

Fans can keep up with Penn State Harrisburg Athletics all season long on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube using the handle @pshbgathletics.